Shawn Prest
Researcher at the intersection of meditation, consciousness, perception and active inference at the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies (Monash University).
Web: shawnprest.com
- Reposted by Shawn Prest🚨 New article in #NCONSC Lifting the veil: probing altered visual perception in derealization academic.oup.com/nc/article/2... @anikokusztor.bsky.social @qualiastructure.bsky.social #consciousness 🧠🧪
- Reposted by Shawn Prest📢Maths in the Brain Workshop 2026 in Melbourne. We will bring together researchers across Australia with a shared interest in understanding the brain from a quantitative perspective. This year's keynote is delivered by Professor James Cole, University College London. 1/4🧵
- Reposted by Shawn PrestWe're hiring a Program Manager to join the Meditation Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants to be in the thick of our efforts. You would work closely with us to drive our current projects forward.... ⤵️
- Reposted by Shawn PrestInterdisciplinarity Through Research Collaboration & Philosophy and Neuroscience Mentorship Program applications are due 2.28.26. Visit our website for more information.
- For anyone interested in the mechanisms behind "letting go" in meditation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ndy... This was a really fun conversation to have, thanks Josh! (www.linkedin.com/in/joshricha/)
- Reposted by Shawn PrestA lovely Christmas present: this paper led by Henrik Röhr is now out: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/YCJX8T... In this paper, we predict on a single-trial level whether someone is practising a self-boundary dissolution meditation practice on the basis of their EEG data
- Reposted by Shawn PrestI'm biased, but I think Neuromatch has done a lot of good in helping make computational science education accessible. Please consider donating to help us continue!
- Today is #GivingTuesday! Join us in helping to make computational science education accessible to everyone, everywhere! Since, 2021, Neuromatch Academy and Climatematch Academy have supported nearly 14,000 learners from 135 countries. Your support makes this possible. neuromatch.io/donate/
- Reposted by Shawn PrestVery excited to announce that our new paper “Are Dreams Narrative Experiences? How Assumptions About Fictional Narratives Shape Debates on Dream Experiences” is officially published in Topoi. I am truly honoured to have collaborated with my supervisor, Jennifer Windt, on this work. rdcu.be/eSXvP
- Hey all, Thomas Metzinger has a new book out, have a look: www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0FZ... @metzinger.bsky.social
- Excited for the Australasian Society for Philosophy and Psychology (ASPP) 2025 Conference next week in Melbourne 24-25 Nov. I'll be presenting posters on multi-dimensional selfing and affective valence with active inference. sites.google.com/monash.edu/a...
- #contemplativescience #neuroskyence The work on the self is a collaboration with @kevinberryman.bsky.social, Aviva Berkovich-Ohana, Yair Dor-Ziderman, @matthewsacchet.bsky.social and @rubenlaukkonen.bsky.social
- Consider participating in this study by if you're starting to meditate (<4 months) and from Australia, New Zealand, UK, or USA! psychologicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/CSC/research...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestStill time to register for the 2025 Conference of the Australasian Society for Philosophy and Psychology, in-person in Melbourne Nov 24-25! Check details and fab keynotes and program on the site👇 #philosophy #neuroskyence sites.google.com/monash.edu/a...
- In Boston, happy to be visiting the Meditation Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School meditation.mgh.harvard.edu @matthewsacchet.bsky.social #contemplativescience
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHow can lived experience be mathematically formalized, and what might computational models reveal about the depths of consciousness during advanced meditation? As research on advanced meditation enters a new era, a powerful question emerges: Can we mathematically model meditative experience ...
- If you weren't aware and are interested in active inference and predictive processing, check out the Active Inference Symposium @actinfinstitute.bsky.social (just started). It's free, online, and has lots of great talks lined up, as well as workshops on modelling: coda.io/d/Applied-Ac...
- Looking forward to visiting the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia on Monday and having great conversations there! @mclsheehy.bsky.social @monash-m3cs.bsky.social csc.virginia.edu
- Today is poster day #2 at @iscr.bsky.social here in Chapel Hill. I'll be sharing work on how deep meditative experience challenges existing computational accounts of affective valence. Come by and pepper me with questions, 4:30-6pm :) #ISCR2025
- If attending @iscr.bsky.social, come by my poster at 4:30pm tomorrow. I'll present work on clarifying selfing with active inference. This is collaborative work with @kevinberryman.bsky.social, @rubenlaukkonen.bsky.social, @matthewsacchet.bsky.social, Aviva Berkovich-Ohana and Yair Dor-Ziderman.
- I'll be at the International Society for Contemplative Research 2025 Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina next week. Looking forward to it and will be on a great panel on Tuesday at 1:30pm with @matthewsacchet.bsky.social, Nicco Reggente, Winson Yang and David Zarka. @iscr.bsky.social #ISCR
- A big thanks to @matthewsacchet.bsky.social for putting it together!
- Reposted by Shawn Prest👇 have a look at the program of this year's ISPSM conference, it's online and free. #philmind #philsci #consci
- We are very excited to share the conference schedule and book of abstracts for this year’s ISPSM! 💫 Link to schedule: tiny.cc/ISPSM2025sch... Link to book of abstracts: tiny.cc/ISPSM2025boo... #philmind #philsky
- I'm presenting my work on affective valence, meditative experience and active inference this Sunday 9:30am GMT at the 3rd Annual Web Conference of the International Society for the Philosophy of the Sciences of the Mind: www.ispsmind.com/internationa... Come by!
- Reposted by Shawn PrestAdvanced meditation ushers in incredible new possibilities for the science of consciousness. In the first-ever fMRI study of Extended Cessation (EC), for which we’ve just preprinted, my colleagues and I examine this advanced meditative event—where consciousness is deliberately switched off and...
- Reposted by Shawn Prest⏰ 📣 Last weeks to apply for the postdoc position on multisensory integration and self-body perception in Marseille !!
- 📣 Open PhD & Postdoc Positions 📣 More info here: mariechancel.com/open-positio... or by contacting me directly !
- Reposted by Shawn PrestNow on Antoine Lutz on the phenomenology of meditation and its neural correlates in the concurrent sessions
- I'll be presenting work today on a poster at @assc28.bsky.social on how deep meditative experience challenges challeges predominant computational views of affective valence. At 12:30pm, come by, booth 179! #assc28
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHeading to my very first ASSC! Quite excited to present my work, supervised by @dsotob.bsky.social on unconscious working memory in the concurrent session at Studio Theatre on Wednesday at 15:30! Please come drop by! : ) @assc28.bsky.social #ASSC28
- Enjoying the atmosphere at @assc28.bsky.social here in Crete! It's great to be around a lot of researches focused on our actual experience. Also looking forward to Edmundo Lopez-Sola's poster coming up and @matthewsacchet.bsky.social 's talk this afternoon on advanced meditation. :) #assc28
- Reposted by Shawn Prest5 years since our first pilot, and 25,000 participants later, I'm super happy this work with Makaela Nartker, @chazfirestone.bsky.social and Howard Egeth on inattentional blindness is now out in eLife! A little 🧵 of what we found... 1/12 elifesciences.org/articles/100...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestFYI: free link to a publication led by Yair Dor-Ziderman in Aviva Berkovich-Ohana's lab. We provided MEG evidence supporting the hypothesis that the brains of experienced meditators exhibit reduced defensiveness toward mortality compared to those of controls. academic.oup.com/nc/article-a...
- New study being run by @julietagalante.bsky.social looking for (teacher) participants
- Reposted by Shawn PrestThe FEEL lab is doing some of the most fascinating, groundbreaking research on emotions and emotion regulation. Do NOT miss this opportunity!! #psychjobs #AffectSci
- We're hiring a postdoc in the FEEL lab at the University of Melbourne. Deadline May 12: get in touch if you have questions! jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/9...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHello Bluesky! Our students are running a short survey on interoception, ADHD, and autism. If you’ve got a few minutes, they’d be so grateful if you could take part — and help spread the word! 🔗 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... #psychscisky
- Reposted by Shawn PrestSave the Date #ACNS2025
- Reposted by Shawn PrestThe ASSC is now on bluesky! Please follow us for more information about consciousness neuroscience, and our upcoming conference ASSC 25 assc2025.gr
- Reposted by Shawn PrestWe are seeking participants for a free online mindfulness study together with colleagues from @monash-m3cs.bsky.social @hohwy.bsky.social See details below, and follow this link for more information lnkd.in/gwCrne7v #research #mindfulness #meditation #psychology
- Reposted by Shawn PrestOlaf Blanke and I are pleased to announce the opening of a funded PhD position in cognitive and contemplative neuroscience at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center entitled "Neurophenomenological Study of Non-Dual Mindfulness Meditation and Its Impact on Self and Agency" Thanks for sharing this ad!
- New preprint: Modelling meditative deconstruction via letting go! 🧘 Model shows how the phenomenology of defabrication naturally emerges from the dynamics of hierarchical active inference. I take a computational phenomenology approach, with a model that is in-silico and formalised.🧵
- 1/ We know meditation attenuates the conceptual mind, increases equanimity (non-reactivity), and moves experience into the present moment. But what are the computational mechanisms behind this?
- 2/ The model casts the release of contraction (arising from clinging) as reducing belief precision in a hierarchical generative model, driving increased lower-level inference.
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View full thread6/ A lot of gratitude and thanks to @hohwy.bsky.social , @matthewsacchet.bsky.social, Björn Weghenkel and various others for all of the very helpful feedback on drafts of this work.
- Reposted by Shawn PrestDo it
- 🚨 Neuromatch Academy Course Applications are OPEN for 2025!! 🚨 Get your application in early to be a student or teaching assistant for this year’s courses! Applications are due Sunday, March 23. Apply & learn more: neuromatch.io/courses/ #mlsky #compneurosky #ai #climatesolutions #ScienceEdu 🧪
- Reposted by Shawn PrestSam Gershman writes beautifully about how theory-free neuroscience prevents the field from reaching its promise. Beautiful and true. Most folks do not test hypotheses. Running a NHST does not a hypothesis make. www.thetransmitter.org/theoretical-...
- Reposted by Shawn Prest📣 Free online event: Join @pliknaitzky.bsky.social (Monash Clinical Psychedelic Lab), as he discusses the role of psychedelics in therapy & their potential for transforming treatment at our seminar: 🗓️ Thursday, 6 March 2025 ⏰ 12:00 – 12:50 PM AEDT 💻 Zoom 👇 Register via the link in the comments 👇
- Reposted by Shawn PrestA fabulous day of M3CS PhD presentations - Lars Sandved-Smith on pure awareness, @shawnprest.bsky.social on defabrication in meditation, @bethfisher.bsky.social Fisher on optimism and gratitude. All done brilliantly with active inference and FEP modelling. #neuroskyence #philsky
- Reposted by Shawn PrestJust realised Bluesky supports videos so here is our new visual illusion! Fix your gaze on the grey dot. How many red dots do you see within the green frames? Many people consistently see two, despite only ever being shown one! jov.arvojournals.org/article.aspx... w/ @renrutmailliw.bsky.social
- Reposted by Shawn PrestInitialized a starter pack for Active Inference! Just hit me up if you want to be added or removed. go.bsky.app/CuYTnqVat://did:plc:c6j375nrzzwa3eu2vlelwv2y/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3lfey4pz3f726
- Excited to see work on the Stages of Insight out by Yang, Chowhury, Sparby & @matthewsacchet.bsky.social. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestWhat brain states do jhana practitioners experience? Delighted to share our new paper in Network Neuroscience @mitpress.bsky.social entitled: “Dynamic brain states underlying advanced concentrative absorption meditation: A 7T fMRI intensive case study” 🧠🧘♀️🔬 🧵
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHi #Bluesky 👋 We’re the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne. We envision a future where empirically underpinned knowledge gained from contemplative wisdom, research, education, dialogue and practice empowers individuals and societies to thrive. Thrilled to connect! 🌟
- @bethfisher.bsky.social giving a greak talk on modelling the optimism bias at @acnsau.bsky.social
- Excited to be here with @bethfisher.bsky.social and Mengting Zhang from @monash-m3cs.bsky.social at ACNS mers.cventevents.com/event/ACNS20... @acnsau.bsky.social I'll be presenting active inference modelling work on meditative deconstruction and letting go.
- This work formalises many core ideas from work done with @kevinberryman.bsky.social in 'Towards an active inference account of deep meditative deconstruction' osf.io/preprints/ps...
- Reposted by Shawn Prestperfect
- Happy to have the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies now on Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/mona...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestI've created a starter pack for the Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS), to connect in advance of this year's conference in Newcastle (which is only 8 days away!) Not everyone has arrived to Bluesky yet - please reply & I'll add you! go.bsky.app/GCHufiE #Neuroskyenceat://did:plc:yiij6nmpvtfdpwmya2vuh3xs/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3lb43j3j3hy22
- Reposted by Shawn PrestTwo starter packs for Consciousness Science! (A) go.bsky.app/CgkfpXZ (B) go.bsky.app/T8z9NP4at://did:plc:wep4ag5dklbfdm66qhmajoid/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3larrzsxj7u2l
- Reposted by Shawn PrestOkay the people requested one so here is an attempt at a Computational Cognitive Science starter pack -- with apologies to everyone I've missed! LMK if there's anyone I should add! go.bsky.app/KDTg6pvat://did:plc:vukawlf6uxid5ruhekdnibd4/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3laoozhujfb2t
- Reposted by Shawn PrestI'm putting together a Computational Psychiatry Starter Pack, still tiny! Drop a comment if you feel like you should be added :) go.bsky.app/5PTy9Zjat://did:plc:pwtoz6ukwpyiacnjiykagoyw/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3lalkobfydx2g
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHey #neuroskyence! We foster collaborations and discussion between the #Neuroscience and #AI communities within University College London #UCL, other institutes and industry. Follow to find out about upcoming events (eg our online monthly seminar), general #NeuroAI news, and other opportunities.
- Reposted by Shawn PrestSecond and third batch of #MoC5 talk recordings are online! 🥳 youtube.com/@models-of-c... Thanks to all speakers! We'll continue to upload more talks as soon as they are processed. #consci
- A great paper on understanding Pure Awareness and MPE by Edmundo Lopez-Sola, @ruffini.bsky.social et al. osf.io/preprints/ps...
- Reposted by Shawn PrestI started making this brain and mind researchers starter pack before I realised the 150 account limit. So this is the first 150 people I added to it :) go.bsky.app/PaCWjEyat://did:plc:nylio5rpw7u3wtven3vcriam/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3l6q57ihkcg2i
- Reposted by Shawn Prest"You Don't Need Words to Think," [via Gary Stix of Scientific American] 🧠🧪 "...the language regions are basically silent when people engage in these thinking activities." I am, and NOT because I think. www.scientificamerican.com/article/you-... #cognition #thinking #language #neuroscience
- Reposted by Shawn PrestNew theory paper out today! w/ @hohwy.bsky.social, @anilseth.bsky.social, Karl Friston, Thomas Parr, Rosalyn Moran, Ryan Smith, Jonathan Robinson, @corcorana.bsky.social 🧵below 1/10 arxiv.org/abs/2410.06633
- Reposted by Shawn Prest
- Reposted by Shawn PrestOur Lisbon Interself conference program is now out ! Check out the exciting line up of talks. We have received over 70 registrations 😎 Thank you 🙏 Full info here : interself-cesbaa.rd.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/program/
- Reposted by Shawn PrestHappy to share our new paper: Effect of an 18-month meditation training on telomeres in older adults. A secondary analysis of the Age-Well randomized controlled trial. - Biological Psychiatry: GOS www.bpsgos.org/article/S266... @SilverSanteEU @GeraldinePoisn #meditation @ChetelatLab @Antoine_Lutz
- Reposted by Shawn PrestNew chapter with @cameronbuckner.bsky.social on interventionist methods for interpreting deep neural networks. We review and discuss the significance of recent developments in interpretability research on DNNs from a philosophical perspective. 1/6 philpapers.org/rec/MILIMF-2
- Reposted by Shawn PrestTesting if this works... Trying to make a starter pack for researchers in #perception science Please share ! Will be adding more folks as I learn how #academicsky works ! go.bsky.app/V99fSBK
