Leanne K Simpson

Leanne is working with Prof. Paul Downing (School of Psychology), Prof. Lew Hardy and Dr Ross Roberts (School of Sports, Health, and Exercise Sciences) examining the neurocognitive underpinnings of Mental Robustness (MR). Her current project takes a multidisciplinary approach to understanding MR in elite military personnel from units that conduct dismounted close combat operations. The study combines a psychometric approach to understanding the multiple dimensions of MR and to measure individual differences in these dimensions, along with a functional neuroimaging approach to measuring the brain networks that underpin MR. Establishing the relationship between neural activation patterns and the operational capabilities of soldiers may provide some insight into potential cognitive robustness, mental readiness and performance in soldiers. Her PhD is funded by the British Ministry of Defence through their Defence Science & Technology Laboratory. Previously Leanne attended King's College London where she completed an MSc in War and Psychiatry.