In Conversation with Emeritus Professor Ken Ashwell

Published on the 9th of February 2026

Few scientists know Australia’s native animals quite as intimately as Emeritus Professor Ken Ashwell, whose work has mapped the brains of some of the country’s most distinctive species. An internationally recognised neuroscientist and educator, his career has been driven by a fascination with how brains work and how curiosity is sparked.Today, that passion extends beyond research and university teaching into UNSW’s GERRIC Student Programs, where he works with gifted young learners to explore big ideas, ask bold questions and discover the joy of scientific discovery.

We spoke with Ken about his journey into neuroscience, what makes teaching in GERRIC Student Programs so rewarding, and why programs like this matter. 

You’re internationally recognised for your work on animal brains.

What first drew you to neuroscience?

I first studied neuroanatomy and neurophysiology as a second-year medical student in 1978. I was fascinated by the beautiful complexity of nerve cells in the brain when they are revealed by Golgi silver staining. At the same time, I was enthralled by human embryology, so those interests together led me to an enduring interest in brain structure and development.

Your career spans groundbreaking research, influential books and decades of teaching.

At what point did working with young, gifted learners become part of that journey?

I became involved in gifted learning back in 1997 when Professor Phil Waite and I first offered a workshop on spinal cord injury and repair for the original Scientia Challenge program. After Phil moved on to other things, I subsequently offered a three-day workshop on the brain in health and disease which has been running almost continuously since then, only interrupted by Covid.

What motivated you to get involved with the GERRIC Student Programs, and what keeps you coming back?

I enjoy the interaction with smart, motivated, young people. I am always impressed by the students’ ability to grasp difficult concepts quickly and diagnose diseases using reasoning from first principles. It’s always a pleasure running the workshop.

What does a great day in a GERRIC Student Programs classroom look like to you?

Active, engaged students, working together to solve clinical problems, throwing up ideas in response to a demanding task. I am sure they get enormous satisfaction from meeting novel intellectual challenges.

Have there been moments in the program where a student’s curiosity or insight has taken the learning somewhere unexpected?

I was particularly impressed in one workshop when a student successfully diagnosed multiple sclerosis in a pathological specimen. This would have been a very difficult diagnosis for a senior medical student, so that is an amazing achievement.

Why are enrichment programs so important for gifted students, particularly those who may not always feel fully challenged or understood at school?

I think programs like this take students to challenges outside their normal experience and push their abilities to the limit.  Using reasoning from first principles to understand complex problems is a great confidence booster. I think that in many cases students in my workshop are considering a career in clinical medicine, so exposure to clinical reasoning is a great way for them to see if medicine is for them.

If another academic or teacher was considering getting involved, what would you tell them about the experience of teaching in the GERRIC Student Programs?

I think I would say that it is immensely rewarding and fun. Working with smart young people is always fulfilling.

Is there a misconception about gifted education or about gifted learners themselves that you would love more teachers to understand?

I haven’t really encountered many serious misconceptions. If anything, some teachers may worry that gifted students could be challenging in the classroom, but my experience has been quite the opposite. I’ve consistently found gifted students to be thoughtful, polite and genuinely respectful, particularly when they feel engaged and challenged.

When students leave your workshop, what do you hope stays with them long after the programs are finished?

I would like to think that I have helped them develop the confidence to tackle novel problems. As I always say in the workshop: “You know more than you think you do, so be confident with your ideas and thinking”.

Lastly, if you could introduce neuroscience through just one animal and its brain, which would you choose, and why?

That would be the platypus, which has extraordinary sensory abilities in both tactile and electrosensory perception. It is a lesson in the remarkable abilities that evolution can produce.

Learn more about Emeritus Professor Ken Ashwell's research, projects and achievements by visiting his Researcher Profile.

Learn more about the GERRIC Student Programs.

Learn more about ADA Short Courses.