David Schwartzman is a Research Fellow (Informatics), School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex.
“I study how stroboscopic light stimulation (SLS), flickering light viewed through closed eyes, can alter conscious experience in powerful yet controlled ways. My work examines the visual patterns and altered states SLS can produce, why people respond differently, and how we can study these experiences safely.
A big part of my research is about subjective experience: what people actually feel, see, and report during these states, and how that relates to what is happening in the brain. I’m interested in SLS both as a tool for understanding consciousness and perception, and for its possible practical uses in mental health.
I currently lead an MRC-funded research programme exploring whether SLS could have therapeutic potential for depression. More broadly, my work asks a simple question: if we can safely and reliably shift perception, can that help us better understand the mind — and potentially support wellbeing too?”