Dr. Joyce Bosmans | Navigation and Spatial Cognition | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Joyce Bosmans is a Belgian cognitive neuroscientist and postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven, specializing in the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying navigation, vestibular function, balance, and spatial cognition. She earned her PhD in Translational Neurosciences from the University of Antwerp, focusing on the relationship between vestibular function, balance, and cognition, and holds a Master’s degree in Clinical and Health Psychology from KU Leuven. Her professional experience includes postdoctoral research in brain and cognition, international research stays at the German Vertigo Center, and extensive teaching at both bachelor’s and master’s levels, covering human brain imaging, neuropsychology, and clinical practicum training. She has supervised multiple master’s students across biomedical sciences, medicine, and psychology, reflecting her mentorship and leadership skills. Her research interests encompass vestibular contributions to navigation, multisensory integration, neuropsychology of stroke and cognitive impairment, and translational applications from fundamental neuroscience to clinical practice. She is highly skilled in advanced MRI analyses, cognitive testing, systematic reviews, experimental design, and stakeholder-driven research implementation. Joyce has received numerous grants and awards, including FWO travel grants, recognition for high-impact publications, and prizes for science communication and outreach, demonstrating her commitment to both scientific rigor and societal impact. In conclusion, Joyce Bosmans combines interdisciplinary expertise, methodological sophistication, and translational vision to advance understanding of human navigation and vestibular-cognitive interactions, bridging neuroscience research with clinical and societal applications.