In our fast-paced modern day society, we experience high pressures from work or school, accompanied by constant and addictive stimuli from apps on our mobile phones and other devices. Deadlines, notifications, being available at any time and everywhere, puts a pressure on us that we are not naturally built to cope with. What are the biological consequences of these constant stressors for our daily functioning, and how can we counteract this in a healthy way? I am a professor of Cognitive Science at UCR as well as a professor of Anatomy and Physiology in Nursing at the HZ University of Applied Sciences. After obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience, I continued to do a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience at Utrecht University (Veterinary Science). In my research, I studied the effects of low birth weight and iron deficiency on the physical and mental development in young piglets. This was meant both as a model for humans and to gain more insight in pig behavior and welfare.
After finishing my Ph.D., I discovered that transferring my enthusiasm and knowledge about the amazingly interesting field of animal behavior, physiology and specifically neuroscience gave me great energy and satisfaction. UCR is a very inspiring place to do this, with highly motivated, enthusiastic young students that make teaching them very rewarding. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx