New Collaboration with Fatima Community Mosque
We are excited to announce a new collaboration with Fatima Community Mosque in Sheffield. Together with partners at the University of Sheffield and the University of Leeds, we are hosting a series of workshops designed to better understand how Muslim communities perceive brain research and how future studies can be made more inclusive, respectful, and accessible.
The first workshop took place on 30 September 2025, at Fatima Mosque (105 Brunswick Road, Sheffield, S3 9LQ).
What Happened
The workshop included:
- An introduction to brain recording technologies such as EEG and their use in health and research.
- Open discussions on community views, experiences, and concerns about brain research.
- Exploration of cultural and religious considerations, including modesty, gender, trust, and language.
- Focus group sessions (men and women in separate groups with gender-matched facilitators) to explore trust, privacy, motivations, and practical barriers.
- An EEG demonstration, where participants could see, touch, and try the headset to reduce concerns and increase familiarity.
All contributions will help shape a set of community-informed guidelines for researchers engaging with Muslim communities in the future.
Why This Matters
This workshop was about listening first. By holding the sessions inside Fatima Community Mosque, we created a safe and familiar space where community members could share their views openly.
The conversations will not stay within the room – they will directly influence how future neurotechnology studies are designed and delivered. This ensures that research is not just done for communities, but also with them.
Our hope is that this collaboration builds long-term trust and shows that community voices are valued at every stage of the research journey.
