I am Zurna Ahmed, a Medical Engineer and Neuroscientist by training.

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I am interested in understanding exploration and information-seeking behaviors and their underlying neural correlates in both non-human and human primates. My research examines how internal drives—such as curiosity and motivation—interact with external environmental factors to shape exploration and decision-making.

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My work investigates how the brain supports exploration and decision-making in naturalistic contexts.

I combine neural recordings in freely moving rhesus macaques with EEG and behavioral paradigms in humans to study how sensorimotor state, movement, and information seeking shape cognition. In parallel, I examine curiosity as a driver of exploration, using theory-driven behavioral tasks to identify which information-theoretic and social factors motivate curiosity-driven behavior. Together, these lines of work aim to bridge systems neuroscience and cognitive motivation research, advancing our understanding of how the brain flexibly guides behavior in real-world settings.

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Equally central to my work is methods innovation. I develop and refine cutting-edge tools and paradigms that push current limits, enabling the study of freely moving primates—both non-human and human—in ecologically relevant environments.

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Curious to learn more? Please feel free to explore my webpage or reach out to connect. I look forward to hearing from you!