Myra Fernandes, University of Waterloo

Research

Aging Cognitive neuroscience Context Divided attention Encoding fMRI Memory Remembering

Latest papers

Popular songs evoke autobiographical memories in younger and older adults: specifying the source.
Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition · 2026 · senior author
The beneficial role of curiosity on route memory in children.
Frontiers in cognition · 2024
Rare Loot Box Rewards Trigger Larger Arousal and Reward Responses, and Greater Urge to Open More Loot Boxes.
Journal of gambling studies · 2021 · senior author

All 8 publications

Latest funding

Factors influencing cognitive and neural representations contributing to memory
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$325,000
Factors Affecting Memory Encoding and Retrieval: A Cognitive Neuroscience Approach
NSERC · 2015 · Principal investigator
$165,000
Factors influencing memory encoding and retrieval
NSERC · 2010 · Principal investigator
$175,000

All 7 grants and awards

8 publications.

01

Popular songs evoke autobiographical memories in younger and older adults: specifying the source.

Husein K, Fernandes M

Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2026.2687482 PMID: 42288972

02

The beneficial role of curiosity on route memory in children.

Sivashankar Y, Fernandes M, Oudeyer PY, Sauzéon H

Frontiers in cognition2024

DOI: 10.3389/fcogn.2024.1346280 PMID: 42339446

03

Rare Loot Box Rewards Trigger Larger Arousal and Reward Responses, and Greater Urge to Open More Loot Boxes.

Larche CJ, Chini K, Lee C, Dixon MJ, Fernandes M

Journal of gambling studies2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s10899-019-09913-5 PMID: 31760581

04

Improving associative memory in older adults with unitization.

Ahmad FN, Fernandes M, Hockley WE

Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition2015

DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2014.980216 PMID: 25396267

05

Emotional expressivity in older and younger adults' descriptions of personal memories.

Schryer E, Ross M, St Jacques P, Levine B, Fernandes M

Experimental aging research2012Senior author

DOI: 10.1080/0361073x.2012.699364 PMID: 22830664

06

Does it matter where we meet? The role of emotional context in evaluative first impressions.

Koji S, Fernandes M

Canadian journal of experimental psychology = Revue canadienne de psychologie experimentale2010Senior author

DOI: 10.1037/a0019139 PMID: 20565176

07

Process-specific interference effects during recognition of spatial patterns and words.

Fernandes M, Guild E

Canadian journal of experimental psychology = Revue canadienne de psychologie experimentale2009First author

DOI: 10.1037/a0012870 PMID: 19271812

08

Are the memories of older adults positively biased?

Fernandes M, Ross M, Wiegand M, Schryer E

Psychology and aging2008First author

DOI: 10.1037/0882-7974.23.2.297 PMID: 18573004

Factors influencing cognitive and neural representations contributing to memory

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Fernandes, Myra

Keywords: memory; encoding; retrieval; aging; divided attention; context; representation; cognitive neuroscience; fmri; remembering

$325,000

Factors Affecting Memory Encoding and Retrieval: A Cognitive Neuroscience Approach

Principal investigatorNSERC2015Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Fernandes, Myra

$165,000

Factors influencing memory encoding and retrieval

Principal investigatorNSERC2010Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Fernandes, Myra

$175,000

An ERP laboratory for collaborative cognitive neuroscience research

Co-investigatorNSERC2008Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Fugelsang, Jonathan

$90,500

The relationship of cardiovascular health indicators with frontal-executive cognitive and motor function with aging

Co-investigatorCIHR2008Operating Grant Priority Announcement: Mobility in Aging

Principal investigators: Hughson, Richard L

Keywords: Aging; Brain Blood Flow; Cognitive Function; Dementia; Motor Function; Vascular Function

$300,000

Encoding, storage, and retreival: a cognitive neuroscience approach

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Fernandes, Myra

$79,045

Neuroimaging data analysis lab

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Fernandes, Myra

$11,400

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2020

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Aging Dear Professor Fernandes, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Popular songs evoke autobiographical memories in younger and older adults: specifying the source." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Factors influencing cognitive and neural representations contributing to memory" (2020), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]