Welber Marinovic - Associate Professor

School of Population Health, Discipline of Psychology, Curtin University, Western Australia, Australia.

I earned my PhD from the University of Queensland in 2009, working with Professor James Tresilian. My research focuses on elucidating the neural processes underlying human sensorimotor control and learning, including action acquisition, selection, preparation, and execution. I am particularly interested in examining the role of sensory information in these processes, including how and when visual information is utilized. To probe these questions, I have investigated anticipatory timing actions using behavioral tasks combined with electrophysiological techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG), and eye-tracking. 

My work has been supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through a Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA 2012-2015) and two Discovery Project grants (DP160102001 and DP180100394) focused on understanding the effects of task-relevant visual information and non-relevant acoustic stimulation on brain excitability and motor performance. While extraneous sensory input can sometimes impede actions, it can also beneficially impact brain function and enhance memory formation, skill acquisition, and rehabilitation outcomes. By delineating when and how extraneous sensory stimulation improves brain function, we can refine rehabilitation protocols and boost learning in contexts like sports, industry, and military training.

I currently lead the Neuroscience hub at the School of Population Health, which hosts the Cognition & Emotion Research Group within our school. We collaborate with clinicians from Fiona Stanley Hospital on applied projects leveraging innovative EEG techniques to track the progress of cochlear implant patients. I have received over AUD 1.8 million in fellowship, project, and equipment grants, including an NHMRC Equipment Grant. I served as the primary investigator on over AUD 1.1 million of these awarded funds. My publication record includes over 70 peer-reviewed papers in premier journals in my area of research. I actively engage in peer-reviewing activities, mentoring students at all levels, and fostering international collaborations.