Shahrzad holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). Her journey into neuroscience began when she left her career as an electrical engineer to pursue a Master’s degree in Cognitive Science.

She is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, under the supervision of Prof. Kaarin Anstey, and has been awarded a TFS scholarship for her PhD. Her research examines the associations between blood-based biomarkers and neuroimaging (MRI/fMRI) metrics in the progression of cognitive decline in older adults. Her interests include ageing, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. She views wisdom as a valuable outcome of ageing and, through her research, she aims to better understand how cognitive health can be preserved across later life.