Computational Neuroscience & Abstract Cognition

Selected publications

• Küchenhoff, S., Behrens, T.E.J., et al. Algorithmic representations underlying schema generalisation. Talks at CogSci (2025), RLDM (2024). CogSci talk (slides / abstract)
• Küchenhoff, S., Zsido, R.G., Saberi, A., Bernhardt, B., Weiss, S., Eickhoff, S., Sacher, J., Valk, S.L. Sex-bias in cortical and hippocampal microstructure. Nature Communications, 2024. [PDF] [Project]
• Contreras-Huerta, L.S., Pisauro, A., Küchenhoff, S., et al. Reward self-bias in foraging. Scientific Reports, 2024. [PDF]
• Küchenhoff, S., Doerflinger, J., Heinzelmann, N. Genetic technologies questionnaire. BMC Medical Ethics, 2022. [PDF]
• Küchenhoff, S., S., Sorg, C., Schneider, S. C., Kohl, O., Müller, H. J., Napiórkowski, N., ... & Ruiz‐Rizzo, A. L. Visual processing speed is linked to functional connectivity between right frontoparietal and visual networks. European Journal of Neuroscience, 2021. [PDF]

Awards & Fellowships

• Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds — PhD Fellowship
  Awarded in recognition of research excellence, as shown by selection following a competitive application process (success rate 8%).
• German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Promotionsförderung der Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)
  Recipient of fellowship support, reflecting sustained academic achievement and leadership as assessed by the Foundation’s selection panels (55,4% of recipients finish their dissertation "summa cum laude"; selection criteria emphasise giving back to society).
• Wilfred Knapp Science Scholarship (St Catherine’s College, Oxford)
  Awarded for academic distinction and contributions to college life.

Experiences

• University of Oxford — DPhil Researcher (2022–present)
  I use multivariate analyses and model-based approaches to link human fMRI and iEEG (LFP & spikes) to mechanistic theories of higher cognition inspired by computational models and rodent electrophysiology. I write Python and Matlab analysis pipelines for human neuroimaging and electrophysiology data. I also work on llm-related sideprojects, where I observe llm-interactions from a social psychology lense, or use semnatic embeddings to bridge to neural embeddings of the brain.
• Skippy Ed — Strategic & Scientific Advisor (2025 - present)
  Advised on psychometrically sound, engagement-focused questionnaire design for a career-matching app for Indian students, including gamification, bias reduction, and inclusive UX
• Merck KGaA — CEO Office Intern (Strategy) (2020)
  Strategic project management support.
• CPC-AG — Intern & Student Consultant (2017–2019), Frankfurt, Germany
  Worked on change-management projects, developed immersive business simulations, and led agile & Scrum trainings for client teams.

Teaching

Much of where I am I owe to inspiring mentors. I intend on doing the same by engaging in various teaching roles: I supervised a very talented MSc Neuroscience student (2024), tutored postgraduate students for “Experimental design of fMRI experiments” (2024), and taught undergraduates on Chris Summerfield’s course “How to Build a Brain from Scratch” (University of Oxford, 2024 & 2025). I have served on the board of the student-led organisation be.boosted, where I ran workshops on public speaking and leadership. My most recent major teaching project is TReND-CaMinA, a summer school emphasising accessibility and open science aimed at students across Africa (2025, 2026) — read more here.