Curriculum Vitae

Personal Information

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Name: Dani Beck
Email: dani.beck@psykologi.uio.no

Current Position(s):

• Postdoctoral researcher in Neuroscience

Affiliation(s):

Employment History

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Dates: November 2021-Present
Position: Postdoctoral Researcher
Research group: Neurocognitive Development Group (University of Oslo)
Affiliations: Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT) and Department of Psychology, University of Oslo
Employer: Diakonhjemmet Hospital

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Dates: August 2019-November 2021
Position: Science writer / columnist
Employer: Neuro-central

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Dates: May 2021-November 2021
Position: Researcher
Research group: Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT)
Responsibilities: Investigating cardiometabolic health and brain ageing – with specific focus on how cardiometabolic risk factors impact the structure and integrity of our ageing brains.
Employer: University of Oslo (Faculty of Medicine)

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Dates: May 2018-May 2021
Position: PhD Candidate
Research group: Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT)
Responsibilities: Investigating cardiovascular risk and brain network function – common mechanisms and windows of opportunity in ageing, dementia, stroke and mental illness.
Employer: Sunnaas Hospital

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Dates: February 2018-May 2018
Position: Researcher
Research group: Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC)
Responsibilities: Responsibility for overseeing all research assistants (9), MRI scanning, neuropsychological testing, lead coordinator of international partnership with Uni. of Toronto, research work.
Employer: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo

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Dates: June 2017 – February 2018
Position: Scientific Assistant
Research group: Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition (LCBC)
Responsibilities: MRI scanning and neuropsychological testing, lead coordinator of international partnership with Uni. of Toronto, project coordinator (memory construct).
Employer: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo

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Dates: October 2015 – May 2017
Position: Research Assistant
Research group: Clinical Neuroscience Research Group
Responsibilities: MRI scanning and participant testing, semi-structured interviews (Hamilton) with depressed and depression-remitted subjects, administration of clinical questionnaires, saliva testing and cortisol analysis at the biology lab.
Employer: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo

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Dates: May 2014 – November 2014
Position: Mental Health Care Assistant
Responsibilities: Monitor and assist mentally disordered offenders on a medium risk ward (psychiatric hospital/secure unit). Assist nurses on the ward.
Employer: Priory Group, Farmfield Dr, Surrey, UK

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Dates: March 2011 – July 2011
Position: Assistant Psychologist
Responsibilities: Data collection and participant testing
Employer: Student Employment Agency (University of Derby)

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Education and Training

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Dates: May 2018 – May 2021
Qualification awarded: Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (specialised in Clinical Neuroscience and Brain imaging)
Institution: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo
Additional information: My thesis focused on cardiometabolic health and the ageing brain, whereby brain and body MRI was utilised to elucidate the body-brain axis in healthy adults.

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Dates: August 2015 – May 2017
Qualification awarded: Master of Philosophy in Cognitive Neuroscience
Institution: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo
Additional information: My thesis investigated the neurotrophic effect of antidepressants on hippocampal subfield volumes in a large sample of remitted MDD subjects and controls.

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Dates: September 2013 – September 2014
Qualification awarded: Master of Science in Forensic Psychology
Institution: Birmingham City University, UK
Additional information: My thesis involved investigating the criminogenic needs of the prison population of HMP Birmingham in order to make suggestions for rehabilitative programmes and treatment to reduce re-offending.

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Dates: September 2010 – July 2013
Qualification awarded: Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Institution: University of Derby, UK
Additional information: My thesis investigated the relationship between ethnocentrism and automatic stereotyping.

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Skills, Competencies, and honours

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Languages spoken:

• English
• Norwegian
• Arabic

Skills:

Highly organised, experience working with individuals with varying mental disorders in clinical and forensic settings, competent with advanced statistics (including longitudinal modelling/SEM) and programming using R, novice experience with Python and MATLAB. Neuroimaging analysis experience (FreeSurfer, FSL). Experience coordinating big sample size studies with both patient and control populations. Experience supervising a Master Degree student and currently co-supervisor to a PhD Student. Experience as science-writer/columnist and science communication work.

Honours:

• Winner of NRSN International Training Grant 2019.
• Winner of NRSN International Training Grant 2020.
• Winner of HSØ Mobility Grant 2020: Project description
• Winner of HSØ Mobility Grant 2022.

Invited talks:

• Delivered the valedictory at the doctorate graduation ceremony in Oslo, Norway (Dec, 2021)
• Invited speaker at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland (June, 2022)
• Invited speaker at the flux congress 2022 conference in Paris, France (Sept, 2022)
• Invited speaker at Brain health symposium in Trondheim, Norway (Oct, 2022)

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References (upon request)