Joel Pearson is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), a National Health and Medical Research Council fellow and founder of UNSW Future Minds Lab, MindX and Agile Science.

An internally recognised leader in human consciousness research and applied cognitive neuroscience, Pearson began studying art and film-making in Sydney at College of Fine Arts COFA (now UNSW Art and Design) before deciding to apply his creative discovery techniques to the scientific mysteries of human consciousness and the complexities of the brain. He completed his science PhD in two years while travelling and speaking at conferences and lecturing at universities internationally.

Person is regularly quoted in the press as an expert, and has had his work covered internationally in the New York Times, Huffington Post, Runner's World, the Daily Mail, Vogue Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend Magazine (The Age), The Australian Magazine, Quartz, on NPR, and elsewhere; and is widely published in the world's top academic journals.