Sinead Rocha

Sinead Rocha is a Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she has been since 2023. She is co-director of the Goldsmiths InfantLab and previously held a Lecturer position at Anglia Ruskin University, directing the ARU Kids Lab. Her research focuses on developmental cognitive neuroscience, particularly the neural and behavioral foundations of rhythm perception, motor development, and language acquisition in infants and young children. She employs advanced methodologies such as EEG, EMG, motion capture, and creative arts interventions to explore how rhythmic abilities relate to broader cognitive and linguistic outcomes.

• Education: PhD in Developmental Science (2018), Postdoctoral research at Birkbeck College and the University of Cambridge
• Research Themes: Infant sensorimotor synchronization, rhythm production, arts for maternal and childhood wellbeing, and the intersection of movement and language development

Her recent work emphasizes longitudinal studies examining how early rhythmic abilities predict language acquisition and executive function. Key projects include the Cambridge UK BabyRhythm Cohort, which tracks infants' neural and behavioral responses to rhythmic stimuli over time. Publications highlight methodologies like automated movement extraction via platforms like Lookit and deep learning models for analyzing infant behavior.

Rocha’s lab, the Goldsmiths InfantLab, explores embodied cognition and the role of rhythmic experience in shaping neural pathways critical for communication. Current research also investigates dance and group drumming interventions for adolescent and maternal wellbeing, bridging neuroscience with creative arts practices.