Research Summit

Professor Selena Bartlett is an internationally recognised neuroscientist, educator, and thought leader in brain health, neuroplasticity, and human resilience. Over a distinguished 30-year career, she has led pioneering research into how stress, trauma and modern lifestyles shape the brain and how these changes can be changed using neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change with training.

Originally trained as a pharmacist, Selena moved into neuroscience after learning how early life experiences shape the brain and influence mental and brain health across the lifespan. She is a Professor in Neuroscience at Queensland University of Technology, Australia and previously held a research position at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She has authored more than 110 scientific papers, contributed to parliamentary inquiries, and advised government and industry across education, health, legal, and corporate sectors. She is a recipient of the prestigious Lawrie Austin Award for her contributions to neuroscience.

At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful idea: the brain remains adaptable throughout life. Aging is not a process of inevitable decline, but one of ongoing change and with the right conditions, it can be a period of renewed vitality. Selena’s work shows that how we live each day and how we connect, move, rest, and engage with the world directly shapes brain health, energy, and purpose over time.

A passionate science communicator, having authored six books for the general public and is the host of the Thriving Minds podcast and is featured in the award winning documentary Seen. Her message: the human brain can be trained—at any age—to thrive.