ABOUT Yasemin Boyner
A Student Exploring the Mind, Learning, and Human-Centered AI
I’m Yasemin Boyner, a student at Francis Holland School in London with a strong academic interest in neuroscience and cognitive science, particularly how the brain supports learning, attention, and decision-making. I explore the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and generative AI through independent research and writing, with a focus on how emerging technologies can support cognitive processes while preserving critical thinking and human agency.
Alongside my academic interests, I enjoy translating scientific ideas into accessible insights for students and educators, and I am especially interested in evidence-based approaches to learning and brain health.
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CORE Passions
The Causes That Drive My Work
Four pillars guiding my advocacy for student well-being.
Understanding How the Mind Learns
I’m driven by a curiosity about why we focus the way we do, how we remember, and what actually helps ideas stick. Exploring attention, memory, and cognitive effort helps me understand how learning can feel more natural and enjoyable.
Exploring How AI Shapes Student Thinking
My research looks at how generative AI influences critical thinking and confidence in high school students. I want to understand when AI helps us think better and when it might get in the way.
Building Tools That Improve Learning
I designed a digital platform that highlights practical, responsible AI tools for students. It’s created to help schools support focus, engagement, and smarter learning habits.
Making Cognitive Science Easy to Understand
Through my writing and blog series The Cognitive Lens, I translate complex ideas from neuroscience and psychology into simple, useful insights that students and teachers can actually use.
Keeping Technology Human-Centered
I believe innovation should strengthen curiosity, independence, and wellbeing. My work focuses on ensuring AI supports human thinking rather than replacing it.
Re-search
Art History as Investigation
Selected Research and Academic Work
My academic pursuits include AP Art History and Harvard’s The Architectural Imagination, where I explored how built environments mirror societal structures. I approach research not just as analysis, but as storytelling—connecting form, context, and history to better understand how art shapes human experience across time.
THE COGNITIVE toolkit
A student-built digital platform exploring how generative AI can strengthen learning, focus, and cognitive engagement.
The Cognitive Toolkit helps students and educators understand how generative AI can meaningfully support core cognitive skills: attention, memory, metacognition, and creativity - without replacing human thinking.
This platform brings together science-based insights, curated AI tools, and practical guidance to show how technology can enhance the way we learn and think.AI Tools for Cognitive Learning
SOCIAL WORK
Workshop Overview
The Hidden Link Between Mental Health and Learning
Hosted at the Aydın Doğan Foundation in Istanbul, this workshop reached over 50 Turkish school students. It explored how mental health directly impacts memory, focus, academic performance, and relationships in the classroom.
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Leadership & Initiatives
Leading Through Creativity and Purpose
Initiatives That Reflect My Commitment to Impact
Leadership for me is about initiating change where it matters. Founding KindKanvasPH was one part of it, but I’ve also led guided tours through Manila’s historic districts, worked alongside restoration teams, and advocated for cultural legislation. Through these roles, I’ve learned to build programs that not only inform—but involve.
