Bonnie O'Malley

My research intersects the topics of stress, social cognition and sex hormones. Specifically I am interested in the concept of stress resonance - i.e. whether we can vicariously share the stress of others through observation. My main project investigating this - Sisterhood - looks at biophysiological stress resonance in female friendships across the menstrual cycle, and the potential influence of progesterone and estrogen. Additional projects I have worked on include ; Investigating the mechanistic underpinnnings of mindfulness as an intervention for reducing acute stress cortisol reactivity and reviewing the potential roles of sex hormones and gender in empathic processing, 

I am passionate about science communication, and pushing its boundaries, under the framework of 'bringing the scientists and the cultural scene of Leipzig closer together'. I have worked with several DIY spaces and cultural institutions of Leipzig in events exploring the ways in which science, music, art & culture can collaborate in a non-hierarchical atmosphere. Most notably, I conceptualised, managed and was the lead organiser of Quantum Entanglement festival [@Quantumentanglementfestival], a festival primarily celebrating 30 years of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, by bringing together Music, Art, Science & Alternative Culture.

Previously I worked in the UK as a mental health professional, specifically as an assistant psychologist and therapeutic care worker in adolescent eating disorders.