I am Zurna Ahmed — a Early Career Researcher with a background in Medical Engineer and Neuroscientist working at the intersection of systems neuroscience, cognitive science, and machine learning.

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I investigate how internal drives interact with external environmental structure to shape information-seeking and exploration. I take a comparative and ontogenetic approach, studying both non-human primates, children and adults to uncover principles of exploration and curiosity.

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​To study these questions, I combine:

• Wireless single-neuron recordings in freely moving rhesus macaques

• Mobile EEG in children and adults

• Markerless motion capture and computer-vision–based behavioral quantification

• Theory-driven behavioral paradigms that isolate information-theoretic and social drivers of curiosity

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This multimodal framework allows me to examine how sensorimotor state, whole-body movement, and information seeking jointly shape cognition — both within and across species.

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In parallel with my scientific work, I place a strong emphasis on methods development. I design and refine tools, hardware, experimental setups, and computational approaches that push the boundaries of what we can measure in naturalistic, freely moving contexts in humans and non-human primates alike.

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Currently, new projects are available for Bachelor’s and Master’s students, as well as interns, in the areas of psychology, biology, neuroscience, computer vision, data science, and engineering. Applicants from these and other relevant backgrounds are welcome, and projects can be adapted to individual expertise and interests.

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If you’re curious to learn more, please feel free to reach out. Looking forward to hearing from you!