Ajay Narendra

I am fascinated by how animals make sense of space. My research investigates the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying spatial learning and memory, with a particular focus on how environmental information is acquired, retained, and translated into efficient navigation. Because survival depends on reaching critical resources, navigation provides a powerful framework for linking cognition, behaviour, and neurobiology.

My work centres on Australian invertebrates living in diverse and often extreme environments, including Central Australian deserts, intertidal zones in Queensland, the rainforests of Cape York, urban landscapes, and dim-light habitats. To study navigation in these natural contexts, I have developed a range of innovative tools and analytical techniques to reconstruct fine-scale movement of animals with high precision.

By leveraging the accessibility of miniaturised nervous systems, I integrate behavioural, physiological, and neurobiological approaches to identify the neural circuitry that generates goal-directed movement. This multi-pronged approach not only reveals how small brains solve complex navigational challenges, but also provides fundamental insights into the general principles of spatial cognition and animal behaviour.

Website: http://www.ecologicalneuroscience.com