teaching | Aamir Sohail 🇬🇧 🇵🇰

Birmingham crest

University of Birmingham (2023-25)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience (MSc module) (Module convenor: Dr Magdalena Chechlacz)

At the University of Birmingham, I have acted as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant for the MRICN course for both the 2023-24 and 24-25 academic years. This involves assisting practical workshops covering the following topics:

Basics of MRI data (file types, manipulating images using FSLeyes)
Introduction to programming (Linux commands, bash scripting)
Neuroimaging analysis using FSL (diffusion MRI, resting-state and task-based fMRI)

During my first year, I noted that the existing materials were hosted locally and could be improved by hosting them on a dedicated website. Together with Magdalena Chechlacz and Dr Andrew Quinn, I created and actively maintain the new MRI-on-BEAR website, which now permanently hosts the materials for practical workshops of the MRICN module. Within the course, I also developed - and teach - the final weeks’ workshop on functional connectivity.

LLM Reading crest

University of Reading (2022-23)

Introduction to Neuroscience Methods (BSc module) (Module convenor: Professor Anastasia Christakou)

During my time at the University of Reading, I served as a teaching assistant with Dr Rich Harrison during the 2022-23 academic year. Specifically, this involved running group tutorials covering the following topics:

Introduction to Neuroimaging (principles of MRI/fMRI, TMS, EEG)
Constructing Research Hypotheses and Experimental Design
Neuroethics
Practical tour and demonstration of CINN laboratories (MRI, EEG, TMS)

GitHub logo

Educational Resources & Open Source Materials

I am strongly passionate about open-source and equal access to education. To this end, I have contributed to several initiatives both with academic institutions, and through my own volition. This includes:

BayesCog, a freely available online course in Bayesian Cognitive modeling, created with Dr Lei Zhang.
MRI on BEAR, the course website for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience (MRICN) MSc module at the University of Birmingham. Created with Magda Chechlacz, Andrew Quinn and James Carpenter.
Neuro Resources, a collection of neuroscience resources and learning materials for cognitive neuroscientists.
Introduction to R for Behavioural Researchers, an interactive tutorial to data analysis and plotting in R taught at a CENTRE-UB workshop at the University of Birmingham.