Beatriz Calvo Merino

Biography

"Dr Calvo-Merino is a cognitive neuroscientist trained at University College London (UCL, London, UK) and Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Madrid, Spain). Her initial PhD work with Professor Patrick Haggard investigated neurocognitive mechanisms involved in action observation, expertise and dance, using neuroimaging methods (fMRI). She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience on a series of studies investigating visual and motor mechanisms of body perception by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Lately, she developed a line of research investigating the sensorimotor neural and cognitive underpinnings of aesthetic perception of performing arts (dance, in particular). During her studies she has established collaborations with the dance community, (e.g. Royal Opera House Ballet (ROH2), Laban Dance Centre, Mavin Khoo, Tom Sapsford, Random Dance Company -Wayne McGregor -). Her work has been published and disseminated in important journals as well as artistic meetings and public engagement activities. Her work has been funded by Economical and Social Research Council (ESRC), Leverhulme Trust, Wellcome Trust Sci/Art projects, Ramon y Cajal Fellowship, City University Fellowship, City University Pump Priming schema."

Research Interest

"Sensorimotor processing of human body and movement & action observation Visual/ motor memory, expertise, acquired motor skills Neuroaesthetics, preference/aesthetic behaviour."