Shane is Professor of Experimental Brain Research at Trinity College, Dublin (the University of Dublin). He is a psychologist, neuroscientist, and writer. A graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway (BA, MA), and of Oxford University (DPhil/PhD), he is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, and an elected Member of the Royal Irish Academy.
His research interests focus on functions ‘within the brain’ (eg memory, stress and depression) and on the ‘brain in the world’ (using a ‘brain’s-eye view’ lens on social, cultural, and policy issues).
He has published more than 150 scientific papers and books, including many works on the neuroscience of interrogation and torture. His books include ‘Why Torture Doesn’t Work: The Neuroscience of Interrogation’ (2015) and ‘In Praise of Walking’ (chosen by the editors at Amazon.com as one of the best science books of 2020; widely translated). His next book is tentatively entitled ‘SHARING WHAT WE KNOW: How conversation shapes us, our societies, nations, and our world’ (to be published in 2023 by The Bodley Head/PenguinRandomHouse). He publishes a very popular, regular, newsletter at brainpizza.substack.com.