Biography

Sou Bekkali is a PhD candidate at the cognitive neuroscience unit (CNU), School of Psychology, Deakin University. Sou’s research examines what parts of the brain are important for empathy, and how the ‘construct’ of empathy can be understood and measured. Currently, Sou’s PhD is examining the mirror neuron system (a system of brain regions that contain specialized brain cells that fire when we execute action and also when we observe someone else executing that same action, as though we are ‘putting ourselves in the shoes of another’ at the brain level) and if this system plays a role in our ability to empathise and understand other people. Sou is also the lab manager of the CNU, which consists of 50 scientists and doctoral students who do awesome neuroscience research. Sou is also an associate lecturer in psychology, and has taught into a number of undergraduate subjects.

Outside of work, Sou enjoys reading books, cooking, eating fried chicken, surviving F45 training, and spending too much time on Netflix.

I have taught in the following units at Deakin University

• HPS111 Psychology A: Fundamentals of Human Behaviour
• HPS201 Research Methods in Psychology (2nd year)
• HPS203 Cognitive Psychology (“The Human Mind”)
• HPS301 Research Methods in Psychology (3rd year)
• HPS310 Brain, Biology, & Behaviour (Behavioural Neuroscience)
• HPS395 Cognitive Neuroscience

I have unit chaired the following subject at Deakin University

• HPS395 Cognitive Neuroscience

I have taught in the following units at RMIT University

• Philosophy of Science and Research Methodology/Statistics in Psychology
• Psychological Assessment and Individual Differences