Dr Barbara Pomiechowska

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

School of Psychology, University of Birmingham

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Barbara is fascinated by powerful learning abilities of infants and young children. To understand the building blocks of human learning, she studies how infants and young children acquire new concepts and develop new skills, and how these processes are implemented in the developing brain.

She uses infant- and child-friendly neuroimaging techniques (e.g., EEG, OPM-MEG, fNIRS), eye tracking, and behavioral experiments.

Her long-term goal is to contribute to improving education by translating the insights from experimental work into policy and educational practice.

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: outcome and technique-oriented, hands-on, supportive.

Provision of Training

I will take responsibility for technical/methods training where needed at first, with gradually more independence.

Progression Monitoring and Management

Goals will be set jointly, and revised if there is need. Progress will be monitored via weekly meetings and log sheets. Student will be helped in a friendly and supportive way to realize their full potential.

Communication

Outside of weekly group meetings, the lab uses thematic chat channels to communicate. I am open to informal communication via email, professional chat, face-to-face during designated days of the week.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once per month

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once per week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once per fortnight

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once per fortnight

Meetings will be a mixture of face to face, via video chat or telephone, and I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days per week.

Working Pattern

Certain tasks in my lab need to occur at set times, and students need to be able to commit to a rota/timetable shared with other members of the team.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 week’s notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Current Projects (2025-26)

Primary supervisor for:

Understanding the emergence of uniquely human numerical skills in the developing brain - an investigation using multimodal neuroimaging

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Understanding the emergence of uniquely human numerical skills in the developing brain - an investigation using multimodal neuroimaging

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Anna Kowalczyk

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes: Understanding the Rules of Life (Neuroscience and Behaviour)

Project Outline

Background and Aim

From spiders through fish and birds to great apes and humans, the representation of numerosity is implemented in many different brains throughout the animal kingdom (Nieder, 2024, Nat. Rev. Neuroscience). Basic numerical competences such as discriminating quantity (e.g. being able to tell the difference between 2 vs 3 items regardless of their size or other perceptual properties) have deep evolutionary roots and are independent from language. However, humans are the only species to use symbolic number (i.e. symbols that express cardinality, e.g. “five”), develop number systems (e.g. Arabic numerals) and entire disciplines of knowledge dedicated to the study of number (i.e. mathematics). Moreover, the use of symbolic number is integral to our daily lives to track time, do grocery shopping, pay bills. Where does the ability to use and manipulate symbolic number come from? When and how does it emerge? Is it triggered by language acquisition of formal education? What are its biological bases? Brand new research provides evidence that this uniquely human capacity for symbolic number may emerge already in the first year of life (Gennari et al., 2023, Curr. Biol.; Pomiechowska et al., 2024, PNAS) before infants are able to speak. Critically, its neural bases remain largely unexplored. This project aims to understand how the infant brain develops numerical symbols and learns to combine them.

Objectives

This project sets three objectives: (1) to identify behavioral signatures of numerical symbols and operations in human infants, (2) to identify neural signatures indexing the processing of numerical symbols and operations, (3) to describe the neural networks involved in numerical symbols and operations in the infant brain.

Methods

This project will involve behavioral and neuroimaging experiments with human infants, and adults for benchmarking. Two distinct but complementary neuroimaging methods will be used: electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) based on novel type of sensors Optically Pumped Magnetometers (OPMs). OPM-MEG is an emerging technique that offers a step-change opportunity for electrophysiological brain imaging in infancy. In contrast to conventional magnetoencephalography (MEG), OPM-MEG does not involve cryogenics so the sensors can be freely placed around the head and closer to the scalp, allowing for both stronger signal and infant-friendly headgear. This is particularly advantageous for measuring brain function in the infant brain.

Students will collect OPM-MEG and EEG data, and will do cortical source reconstruction using MRI data. Students will use multivariate pattern analysis, a novel analysis method inspired by machine learning, and representational similarity analysis. This experience will not only deepen their understanding of neural data but also equip them with valuable skills in advanced data analysis techniques. Students will work across Birmingham Babylab and Quantum Neuroscience labs at the Centre of Human Brain Health and Centre for Developmental Science.

Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact the lead supervisor (Dr Barbara Pomiechowska, b.pomiechowska@bham.ac.uk) for informal discussion before submitting an application.

Key References

Gennari, G., Dehaene, S., Valera, C., & Dehaene-Lambertz, G. (2023). Spontaneous supra-modal encoding of number in the infant brain. Current Biology, 33(10), 1906-1915.

Nieder, A. (2016). The neuronal code for number. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(6), 366-382.

Pomiechowska, B., Bródy, G., Téglás, E., & Kovács, Á. M. (2024). Early-emerging combinatorial thought: Human infants flexibly combine kind and quantity concepts. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(29), e2315149121.