Sheeza Mahak stood holding a small model brain in one hand and the numbers 3 and 8 in the other hand.

Sheeza Mahak

Imagine you are sitting an exam, solving a maths problem and suddenly you realise there is something wrong with your solution. At this point, you have to make a decision: you can find the error, look for an alternative solution, or give up altogether. My research aims to find out how and what we think when we try to solve a maths problem. And how this is related to confidence and anxiety.

I have always been curious about what happens in the brain, beyond its physical structure, and how we think. This curiosity led me to the field of Psychology. I completed my BSc in Behavioural Sciences followed by an MSc in Clinical Psychology in Pakistan and then came to the United Kingdom for my PhD studies.

I also share my passion for research with cooking. I love creating food using different techniques and dream of being a researcher by day and a chef by night. The objects I am holding are a human brain and numbers- connecting maths problem solving with covert cognitive processes.