Professor Kiley Seymour

Academic Dean

Professor Kiley Seymour is a neuroscientist whose work bridges rigorous empirical science and the enduring questions of contemplative and philosophical traditions – how conscious experience arises, how it is shaped by the conditions around it, and how it might be protected and cultivated.

She completed her PhD in Psychology at the University of Sydney and has built an international research career spanning almost two decades across Australia and Germany, including research fellowships at the Max Planck Institute and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Her research integrates human brain imaging and AI-driven models of brain function to investigate the neural basis of awareness, altered states of consciousness, and the cognitive and ethical impacts of emerging technologies on the mind. Her early contributions to decoding mental states from brain activity helped establish methods now standard in cognitive neuroscience.

Kiley is an elected member of the Australian Academy of Science National Committee for Brain and Mind and serves on the Executive Council of the Australian and New Zealand Institute for Neurotechnology and Law, advising bodies including the Australian Human Rights Commission, the United Nations, and Interpol on the neuroethics and governance of brain-based technologies. She has secured over $2.5 million in competitive research funding from sources including the Australian Research Council, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program.

Before joining Nan Tien Institute, Kiley led the design of the first undergraduate psychology program offered at the University of Technology Sydney, building a multidisciplinary team and pioneering curriculum recognised for its innovation and cultural competency. Under her leadership, the program achieved rapid growth and national recognition.