I am a Research Fellow in the School of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle, Western Australia). My research explores the many ways in which people construct understandings of self in relation to the world, and how this takes place against a complex backdrop of religion, spirituality and politics. I am particularly interested in biohacking as a contemporary phenomenon of self-creation, the interplay between technology and spirituality, and the growing impact of algorithms and digital culture in self-determination and visions of human being. I also work on the social and ethical implications of AI and emerging technologies for augmenting human biology and capacities.
I mainly work in the field of religious studies as it intersects with the sciences. My first book, Human Technological Enhancement and Theological Anthropology, brings together cognitive and evolutionary perspectives on human creativity with theological and literary perspectives to present technological augmentation as a legitimate activity of human co-creation from a religious perspective. My current research projects are concerned with manifestations of spiritual yearning outside of traditional religious contexts (e.g. in various biohacking activities) and incorporate mixed methods from sociology and psychology of religion.
I am a Founding Member of the Human Augmentation Research Network.