About

Dr Sarah McKay is a Kiwi-born, Australian-based neuroscientist and science communicator who specialises in translating brain research into practical strategies to improve health, wellbeing, and performance.

After completing an MSc and DPhil in neuroscience at the University of Oxford, Sarah moved to Australia to undertake postdoctoral research on spinal cord injury. She then hung up her lab coat to focus on science communication and education, founding a company, Think Brain, dedicated to applied neuroscience and brain health.

Sarah has presented on ABC Catalyst, exploring brain health, biohacking, and longevity, and delivered a TEDx talk on the surprising neuroscience of afternoon naps.

Her work regularly features across print, radio, podcasts and television. She’s been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Grazia, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and Australian Women’s Weekly, and she has appeared on SBS Insight, ABC Radio National, NZ Radio National, and Mamamia. She’s also been a keynote speaker at events including Business Chicks, the Canberra Writers Festival, and Happiness & Its Causes.

She is the author of three books on brain health. The Women's Brain Book: The Neuroscience of Health, Hormones, and Happiness was first published in 2018, with a fully updated second edition scheduled for release in July 2025. Baby Brain (2023) explores how pregnancy and motherhood shape the brain. Her latest book, Brain Health For Dummies, was released in early 2025.

Sarah lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with her Irish husband, two teenage sons, and a springer spaniel. They spend as much time as possible in or on the ocean — swimming, sailing, and surfing.