My name is Dr. Farhad Dastur ("Dr. D"). How the mind works has always fascinated me. Do all people perceive the world the same way or are there differences? Why are some people so creative? How can we improve mental health and well-being? My curiosity led me to higher education: first a BSc in Psychology from UBC, then a Master’s and a PhD in Psychology from Dalhousie University. For my thesis, I investigated smell sensitivity during pregnancy. I was testing an evolutionary theory that proposed that morning sickness was a defense mechanism designed to protect the baby-to-be from toxins found in the mother’s diet. Finally, I was combining my interests in perception, experimental psychology, and evolution all in one study!

Today, I work as a faculty member and Principal Investigator of The Virtual Reality Lab.  My research interests are in human factors, perception, evolutionary psychology, and virtual reality. On the education side, I am an advocate for open education and nature-based education. A peak experience was teaching a field school to the Amazon where students encountered the culture of Colombia and the biodiversity of the world’s greatest rainforest and river ecosystem.  I am also passionate about communicating ideas to the public. Check out my talks at: www.farhaddastur.com