Mel Humphries,
School of Maths and Physics
& School of Psychology, UTAS

Explaining the Brain with Maths

What interested you in science as a child?
To be honest… not much! I used to think 'what is the point?' and 'how is this useful?'. I thought it was kind of nerdy and was much more interested in acting and music!

Why did you choose to go to university?
The first time I went to uni, I studied Drama and Archaeology (mainly because I liked Indiana Jones!) then moved to Tassie. I started working and became a Chef! But, got sick of the long hours, so I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science. All of a sudden, I started finding out just how useful Math really can be… and how interesting!

What are you studying at uni?
I’m currently studying third year of my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Psychology. Huh? I hear you think… How do they fit together? Well, all of the information used in Psychology comes from research… and that research uses Maths! Yes, it is true, Maths will help you in almost any profession you choose to do, including Psychology!

What are your future aspirations?
I would love to complete research in Dynamical Systems of Neural Impulses! This is basically looking at electrical activity in the brain and using Maths to explain what is happening in there!

What do you love about science?
I love that we can find ways to understand what is going on all around us. This means we can explore, discover and create in almost every area of life! (Sappy, I know, but true!). Teachers, entertainers, leaders, helpers and creators… come one, come all to the exciting world of Maths! Sorry, I mean… Science!

Find out more about Mel’s studies on UTAS Open Day (Sunday 23 August) in Hobart - and visit the School of Psychology’s Research Centre.