Mia Thomaidou, Ph.D.
Mia Thomaidou, Ph.D., joined the Dana Foundation in 2024 as a Fellow in the Neuroscience & Society Frontiers Program. Her role involves analyzing the intersection of neuroscience and society to identify opportunities for collaborative engagement and innovation. Focusing on interdisciplinary approaches, she seeks to advance neuroscience initiatives that are shaped by and benefit diverse communities. Prior to this, Mia completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Rutgers University’s School of Criminal Justice. At that time, she also worked as a consultant, contributing neurological and legal expertise for AI startups and for a natural language processing project at the University of Mississippi. Before moving to the US, Mia was a doctoral researcher at Leiden University, where she conducted experimental behavioral and neuroimaging research and consulted on a neurosurgery study at Leiden University Medical Center’s department of neurosurgery. She also worked as a research coordinator at the VU Amsterdam Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research and as a junior researcher at the University of Oxford’s department of psychiatry. To date, she has published over 20 studies and book chapters and has taught university courses in neuroscience, psychology, criminal justice, and statistics. Mia received her Ph.D. from Leiden University and holds M.Sc. degrees in neuropsychology and criminal justice, as well as a B.Sc. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of Westminster London. Originally from a small seaside town in Greece, Mia has lived in six cities across four countries and settled in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2022. Her personal interests revolve around sports and the sea; she is a dedicated runner and swimmer, and a loyal N.Y. Mets fan.