Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences. I am Deputy Lead of the Neurodevelopment Program at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Clinical Sciences at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.
I completed a PhD in the area of child neuropsychology at the University of Melbourne (2008), and during this time spent three months as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada (2006). My postdoctoral research has been conducted at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (2008-2011) and University of Melbourne (2009) in Australia. I was a Swiss National Science Foundation Visiting Fellow at the Bern Children’s Hospital (2011) in Switzerland, and a Department of Neuroscience Research Fellow at the Karolinska Institute (2011-2013) in Sweden.
Related Links:
Research interests
My research aims to achieve a deeper understanding of the development of children's cognitive abilities, behavioural and academic functioning, and how to improve these. The themes of my research are:
1. Cognitive training in paediatric populations: My recent research focuses on the conditions under which training leads to long-term benefits, the application of cognitive training in paediatric populations, and identifying the subgroups of children who benefit most from training.
2. Development of cognitive abilities, academic and behavioural functions: Much of my research has centred on understanding variability in developmental outcomes. I work with normally developing children and clinical populations, including children born preterm or with agenesis of the corpus callosum.
I conduct cohort studies and randomised controlled trials using a combination of measures, including neuropsychological, behavioual and clinical assessments, and neuroimaging.
Monash teaching commitment
PSY2071 - Developmental Psychology
PSY4130 - Developmental Psychology and Clinical Neuroscience
PSY4271 - Psychological Assessment and Intervention
Research area keywords
- child neuropsychology
- academic performance
- working memory
- cognitive training
- developmental cognitive neuroscience
- executive function
- mathematical performance
Network
Projects
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Utilising digital training technology to support cognitive skill development and enhance learning in primary school children
Kirk, H., Cornish, K., Bellgrove, M., Spencer-Smith, M., Jobson, L. & Adams, K.
Monash University – Internal Faculty Contribution, Monash University – Internal Department Contribution
3/02/20 → 29/04/22
Project: Research
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Understanding ADHD in Indigenous Australian children using the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC).
Bellgrove, M., Stefanac, N., Tiego, J., Jobson, L., Kirk, H., Spencer-Smith, M., Adams, K., Cornish, K., Coghill, D., Middeldorp, C. & Sciberras, E.
Australian ADHD Professionals Association
7/02/20 → 30/12/20
Project: Research
Research output
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Callosal agenesis and congenital mirror movements: outcomes associated with DCC mutations
Spencer-Smith, M., Knight, J. L., Lacaze, E., IRC5 Consortium, Depienne, C., Lockhart, P. J., Richards, L. J., Heron, D., Leventer, R. J. & Robinson, G. A., Jun 2020, In : Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 62, 6, p. 758-762 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
Mental Health Trajectories of Fathers Following Very Preterm Birth: Associations With Parenting
McMahon, G. E., Anderson, P. J., Giallo, R., Pace, C. C., Cheong, J. L., Doyle, L. W., Spittle, A. J., Spencer-Smith, M. M. & Treyvaud, K., Aug 2020, In : Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 45, 7, p. 725-735 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Rates and Stability of Mental Health Disorders in Children Born Very Preterm at 7 and 13 Years
Yates, R. L., Treyvaud, K., Doyle, L. W., Ure, A., Cheong, J. L. Y., Lee, K. J., Inder, T. E., Spencer-Smith, M. & Anderson, P. J., 1 May 2020, In : Pediatrics. 145, 5, 8 p., e20192699.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus) -
Tracking regional brain growth up to age 13 in children born term and very preterm
Thompson, D. K., Matthews, L. G., Alexander, B., Lee, K. J., Kelly, C. E., Adamson, C. L., Hunt, R. W., Cheong, J. L. Y., Spencer-Smith, M., Neil, J. J., Seal, M. L., Inder, T. E., Doyle, L. W. & Anderson, P. J., 4 Feb 2020, In : Nature Communications. 11, 1, 11 p., 696.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus) -
Working memory training and brain structure and function in extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight children
Kelly, C. E., Thompson, D. K., Chen, J., Josev, E. K., Pascoe, L., Spencer-Smith, M. M., Adamson, C., Nosarti, C., Gathercole, S., Roberts, G., Lee, K. J., Doyle, L. W., Seal, M. L. & Anderson, P. J., 15 Feb 2020, In : Human Brain Mapping. 41, 3, p. 684-696 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Harold Mitchell Travelling Fellowship
Spencer-Smith, Megan (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, Travel Scholarship
Spencer-Smith, Megan (Recipient), 2007
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Karolinska Institute, Department of Neuroscience Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Spencer-Smith, Megan (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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Monash University, Jenny Redman Early Career Research Publication Prize for Psychological Sciences
Spencer-Smith, Megan (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Honorary Senior Research Fellow
Spencer-Smith, Megan (Recipient), 2011
Prize: Other distinction