Dr Tom Faherty

• 2022 – PhD in The Impact of Air Pollution on Cognitive Functioning, University of Birmingham
• 2017 – MSc Brain Imaging and Cognitive Neuroscience (Distinction), University of Birmingham
• 2016 – BSc Psychology (First Class Hons), University of Birmingham

Dr. Tom Faherty is currently a post-doctoral researcher within the school of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham.

His research is dedicated to exploring the impact of common air pollutants on various aspects of cognitive function throughout the lifespan, particularly focusing on the effects of short-term exposure episodes and cognitive dysfunction. Having begun his foundational work in the school of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, Tom expanded his research through collaboration with the University of Manchester during his PhD.

His expertise has been acknowledged with the award of a UKRI grant, under which he operates as a researcher co-investigator. In this role, he addresses knowledge gaps and assesses the cognitive effects of widespread indoor and outdoor pollutants, working within a comprehensive, multidisciplinary consortium.

As a member of the Pope group, Tom collaborates with colleagues from a diverse array of disciplines across the University to identify facets of cognition impacted by particulate matter air pollution exposure.

Research Methods teaching associate from 2017 to 2021 within the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham.

Dr Faherty’s research examines the impact of air pollution on cognitive function, combining expertise in psychology, environmental health, and cognitive neuroscience. Their PhD research focused on identifying the short-term effects of air quality on cognitive performance in healthy adult populations, offering critical insights into the relationship between environmental factors and brain health.

Building on this work, Dr Faherty is committed to advancing the understanding of air pollution's effects on cognition through three key avenues:

1. Mechanistic Pathways: Investigating the biological and neurological mechanisms that underpin the observed effects, in collaboration with toxicologists and medical professionals.
2. Developmental Impacts: Expanding the research to explore how air pollution influences cognitive development and educational outcomes in children, working closely with psychologists and educational researchers.
3. Cognitive Domains: Identifying the specific aspects of cognition most affected by air pollution, such as attention, memory, and executive function, through interdisciplinary approaches that integrate insights from environmental scientists and cognitive researchers.

This multidisciplinary work seeks to uncover how environmental exposures shape cognitive health across the lifespan. By fostering collaborations with environmental scientists, psychologists, medical professionals, and toxicologists, Dr Faherty aims to generate actionable knowledge to inform public health interventions and policies that mitigate the cognitive effects of air pollution.

Dr. Tom Faherty is an expert on the Academic Research Knowledge Exchange.