Doctor
Rebecca St GeorgeProfile page
(She/Her)
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
Psychology
- Senior Lecturer in PsychologyPsychology
- School of Psychological Sciences, Psychology, 106 Psychology Research Centre, Sandy Bay Campus, TAS
BIO
I am a behavioural neuroscientist, working in a research and teaching role at the School of Psychological Sciences.
I am fascinated by how human movement reflects brain function.
I completed my PhD in 2010, titled 'The Sense of Orientation,' at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) through the University of New South Wales in Sydney. This work broadened our understanding of how vestibular signals are integrated with other sensory inputs and also the mechanisms by which perceptions of body motion are evoked.
My post-doctoral research was conducted at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, USA, in Professor Fay Horak’s Balance Disorders Laboratory. Here, I investigated how neural mechanisms underlying human postural control are disrupted in people with neurological movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis. Notably, I conducted a randomised control trial examining the impact of different surgical sites of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on postural control and balance in people with PD.
In 2012, I was awarded a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (CJ Martin Overseas Fellowship). The first half of this fellowship was spent at the Whole-Body Sensory Motor Laboratory at University College London (UCL), UK, with Professor Brian Day. At UCL, I studied stepping reactions following pushes and pulls on the body, in both healthy populations and people with Parkinsonian disorders.
Since joining the University of Tasmania in 2015, my research has focused on understanding the cortical control of balance and gait. One line of study seeks to understand how ageing and cognitive decline affect the decisions required for fast, and safe stepping behaviours. Why older individuals experience impaired adaptive stepping, which contributes to falls, is a key aspect of this research. Another significant area of investigation is the use of Artificial Intelligence to identify early signs of movement impairment in people with neurodegenerative disorders.
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
- LecturerUniversity of Tasmania, School of Psychological Sciences, Hobart, Australia2023 - present
- Research ScientistUniversity of Tasmania, Wicking Dementia and Education Centre, Hobart, Australia2021 - 2022
- NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellow (home component)University of Tasmania, School of Psychological Sciences, Hobart, Australia2015 - 2020
- NHMRC CJ Martin Early Career Fellow (overseas component)University College London, Whole-body Sensorimotor Lab, London, UK2012 - 2015
- Postdoctoral ResearcherOregon Health and Science University, Department of Neurology, Balance Disorders Laboratory, Portland, USA2009 - 2011
DEGREES
- PhDNeuroscience Research Australia / University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- BSc (Hons I Physiology)University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- BSc (Physics) & BA (Psychology) double degreeUniversity of Newcastle, Australia
SCHOOL AND PORTFOLIO
- School of Psychological Sciences
UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
- 3 Good Health and Well Being