Simon Kelly

Dr. Simon Kelly is an Associate Professor in the UCD School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, part of the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture. With a background in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (B.E. and Ph.D. from UCD), he has established himself as a leading researcher at the intersection of engineering and cognitive neuroscience, focusing on how the brain makes perceptual decisions.

Dr. Kelly's research program centers on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision making. Using human electroencephalography (EEG), he investigates how the brain accumulates sensory evidence to reach decisions about what we see, hear, and experience. His pioneering work around 2012 identified the Central Parietal Positivity (CPP) signal that reflects the accumulation of evidence during decision processes, building to a threshold before decisions are executed. This discovery has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the brain transforms sensory input into decisions.

His recent publications reveal continued innovation in understanding the dynamics of evidence accumulation, the neural representation of confidence in decisions, and how prior knowledge shapes perceptual processing. His work spans theoretical advances in decision mechanisms and practical applications for diagnosing and treating cognitive impairments associated with neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease.

• Wellcome Trust Investigator Award in Science (2020) for 'What dictates the extent of evidence accumulation in human decision making?'
• SFI US-Ireland Research Partnership Programme award (2020) for 'Uncovering the neural architecture underlying decisions abstracted from movements'

As an interdisciplinary researcher, Dr. Kelly bridges engineering, neuroscience, and psychology through his leadership of the UCD Cognitive Neural Systems Lab. His work has significant implications for both fundamental cognitive science and potential clinical applications, reflecting his commitment to basic research as a foundation for future practical advances.