Dr David Moreau
Biography
I completed my BS, MS and PhD at the University of Lille, France, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. I arrived at The University of Auckland in 2015, where I now lead the Brain Dynamics Lab (braindynamicslab.com).
Research | Current
The Brain Dynamics Lab focuses on the variability inherent to behavioral and neural systems, in the context of normal development, neurological diseases and disorders, and as a result of interventions.
More specifically, research in the lab is centered on three main goals:
(1) Theoretical: understanding the mechanisms of behavioral and neural change;
(2) Methodological: refining the measurements and methods to evaluate these dynamics;
(3) Translational: designing and implementing interventions to improve mental and physical health.
We pursue these three intertwined lines of research in the hope to further our understanding of typical and disordered brains, with the overall goal to facilitate personalized approaches to intervention.
Teaching | Current
PSYCH306: Research Methods in Psychology - Course coordinator, Lecturer
PSYCH756: Dynamics of Brain and Behavior - Course coordinator, Lecturer
PSYCH722: Learning and Human Development - Guest Lecturer
PSYCH744: Experimental Design and Quantitative Methods for Psychology - Guest Lecturer
Postgraduate supervision
I supervise postgraduate students at the Honors, Masters and PhD level. Possible research areas for postgraduate students include:
- The dynamics of brain and behavior
- The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive performance
- The influence of health interventions (e.g., exercise, diet) on brain and cognition
- The development of novel methods to assess variability in brain and behavior
Distinctions/Honours
- Centre for Brain Research Emerging Researcher Award (2018)
- National Award for Best PhD Thesis in Science (2013)
- National Research Fellowship (2011)
- Fulbright Fellowship (2008)
- Fulbright Award, Washington D.C. (2008)
- Fulbright Award, Brown University (2008)
- E.U. Exchange Student Fellowship (2007)
- French National Student Fellowship (2007)
- Franco-Canadian Bilateral Fellowship (2004)
Areas of expertise
Cognitive Neuroscience; Training and Plasticity of Cognition; Methods; Statistics; Mathematical Modeling
Committees/Professional groups/Services
- Neuroimaging User Group, 2017-present
- Statistical Consultant for the Growing Up in New Zealand study, 2016-present
- Emerging Researcher Committee, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, 2016-present
- Strategic Planning Group Committee, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, 2016-present
- National Development Grant Referee (ad hoc), 2015
Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)
- Wang, C.-H., Moreau, D., Yang, C.-T., Lin, J.-T., Tsai, Y.-Y., & Tsai, C.-L. (2019). The influence of aerobic fitness on top-down and bottom-up mechanisms of interference control. Neuropsychology, 33 (2), 245-255. 10.1037/neu0000507
- Moreau, D., Stonyer, J. E., McKay, N. S., & Waldie, K. E. (2018). No evidence for systematic white matter correlates of dyslexia: An Activation Likelihood Estimation meta-analysis. Brain research, 1683, 36-47. 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.014
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/44674
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Nicole Mckay - Moreau, D., Macnamara, B. N., & Hambrick, D. Z. (2018). Overstating the Role of Environmental Factors in Success: A Cautionary Note. Current Directions in Psychological Science10.1177/0963721418797300
- Moreau, D., & Corballis, M. C. (2018). When Averaging Goes Wrong: The Case for Mixture Model Estimation in Psychological Science. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General10.1037/xge0000504
- Moreau, D. (2018). Physical exercise and cognitive enhancement. The Exercise Effect on Mental Health: Neurobiological Mechanisms (pp. 171-187). 10.4324/9781315113906
- Moreau, D., Wilson, A. J., McKay, N. S., Nihill, K., & Waldie, K. E. (2018). No evidence for systematic white matter correlates of dyslexia and dyscalculia. NeuroImage. Clinical, 18, 356-366. 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.02.004
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/43414
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Nicole Mckay - Habacha, H., Moreau, D., Jarraya, M., Lejeune-Poutrain, L., & Molinaro, C. (2018). Dissociating object-based from egocentric transformations in mental body rotation: effect of stimuli size. Experimental brain research, 236 (1), 275-284. 10.1007/s00221-017-5125-y
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/43363 - Waldie, K., Wilson, A., Roberts, R., & Moreau, D. (2017). Reading network in dyslexia: Similar, yet different. Brain and Language, 174, 29-41. 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.07.004
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/35929
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Reece Roberts
Contact details
Primary office location
SCIENCE CENTRE 302 - Bldg 302
Level 2, Room 221
23 SYMONDS ST
AUCKLAND CENTRAL
AUCKLAND 1010
New Zealand