Kho Siew Kei (Kelly)

Fields of Interest:

Face processing
Brain stimulation
Cognitive training
Prosopagnosia
Cognitive neuroscience

Education: PhD: 2023, University of Nottingham Malaysia

Bio:
Dr. Kho’s research focuses on face processing, a critical aspect of social interaction, where impairments can significantly disrupt communication and relationships. To enhance face recognition abilities, she has investigated cognitive training and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), in both neurotypical and clinical populations. She is also interested in the broader applications of brain stimulation across various cognitive domains to improve overall cognitive performance. Additionally, she conducts behavioural research to deepen our understanding of face recognition processes.

Dr. Kho received both her BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience and her PhD from the University of Nottingham Malaysia. In 2019, she was awarded a PhD scholarship to pursue her doctoral research at the same institution, where she also worked as a research and teaching assistant.

Prior to joining Fulbright University Vietnam, Dr. Kho served as a Lecturer in Psychology at Bournemouth University, UK. Her research has been supported by several grants, including the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant and the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (SARMAC) Student Caucus Research Grant. In 2024, she became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in the UK. She is also an active member of the Experimental Psychology Society (EPS).

Selected Publications:
Kho, Siew Kei, David Keeble, Hoo Keat Wong, and Alejandro J Estudillo. 2025. “EXPRESS: Own- and Other-Race Face Learning in High and Low Variability.” Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, May. https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218251346749.

Kho, Siew Kei, David Keeble, Hoo Keat Wong, and Alejandro J. Estudillo. 2023. “Null Effect of Anodal and Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) on Own- and Other-Race Face Recognition.” Social Neuroscience 18 (6): 393–406. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2023.2263924.

Kho, Siew Kei, David R.T. Keeble, Hoo Keat Wong, and Alejandro J. Estudillo. 2023. “Investigating the Role of the Fusiform Face Area and Occipital Face Area Using Multifocal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.” Neuropsychologia 189 (March): 108663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108663.

Kho, Siew Kei, Bryan Qi Zheng Leong, David R. T. Keeble, Hoo Keat Wong, and Alejandro J. Estudillo. 2023. “A New Asian Version of the CFMT: The Cambridge Face Memory Test – Chinese Malaysian (CFMT-MY).” Behavior Research Methods 56 (3): 1192–1206. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-023-02085-6.

Courses: