Merle T. Fairhurst, Ph.D.
Associate Researcher (bidt Project)
Lehrstuhl für Philosophy of Mind
Associate Researcher (bidt Project)
Lehrstuhl für Philosophy of Mind
Professor Merle Fairhurst is a cognitive neuroscientist with strong interdisciplinary ties that facilitate cross-talk with philosophers. She studies the interaction between sensory signals that allow us to make sense of the world around us and to successfully interact with others. Her projects range from trying to understand what makes touch special to identifying factors that make interacting in a group different to interacting in pairs. As a classical singer, she is passionate about the special cases of sensory perception in music and art. And, as a mother of four, she strongly believes in promoting women in academia.
Social interaction, sensory perception, integration, dynamic exchange
Merle Fairhurst holds a diploma in music and completed her undergraduate and postgraduate training in Physiological Sciences and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford with her doctoral work entitled "Dissecting the pain experience using psychological intervention and functional MRI". Her postdoctoral training has included two research fellowships with the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Leipzig) firstly within the Music, Cognition and Action group (2009-2012) and then in the Early Social Development group (2012-2013). Before starting at the LMU, she completed a research fellowship at the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London (2014-2017). She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Neuroscience group.