UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Research Field: Neuroscience
The human brain can seem almost immeasurably complex, however if we look at it with the
right lens, we can start to understand the rules that govern its function.
Dr Shine’s research uses functional neuroimaging to better understand the fundamental
principles that underlie the coordinated interactions between regions of the brain that form
the basis of our attention, cognition and awareness. He has demonstrated that fluctuations
in the amount of cooperative brain activity over time relate to our ability to solve complex,
cognitive challenges.
Mac’s public outreach has involved numerous interviews with popular media. He regularly
takes part in the Skype a Scientist program, which connects real scientists with children in
classrooms across the world. His research ideas have been published in a popular science
magazine, Australasian Science, and on The Conversation. He has also been invited to
present his work as part of multiple Brain Twitter conferences, wherein scientific results are
broadcast to the online community.