Dr. Kamilla Rún Jóhannsdóttir to lead new department at Reykjavik University

Dr. Ragnhildur Helgadóttir, President of Reykjavik University, has, in consultation with the RU Board, appointed Dr. Kamilla Rún Jóhannsdóttir as Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Health Technology, a new department at RU. The department is scheduled to begin operations on November 1, 2026.

Kamilla Rún is the outgoing Chair of RU’s Department of Psychology and has held that position since November 2021. Dr. Brynja Björk Magnúsdóttir will succeed her as Chair of the Department of Psychology on January 1, 2027.

“It was the assessment of the President and the Board of Reykjavik University that it was important to appoint a professional in the field with experience in departmental leadership to oversee the development of the Department of Neuroscience and Health Technology. The position will then be advertised in two to three years, once the new department has become fully operational,” says Ragnhildur.

“I am very pleased to take on the role of Chair of the new Department of Neuroscience and Health Technology. The establishment of the department marks an exciting milestone for Reykjavik University and opens up new opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching, research, and innovation at the intersection of neuroscience, health sciences, and technology,” says Kamilla Rún.

A respected scientist with extensive experience

Kamilla Rún completed her PhD in Psychology, with an interdisciplinary focus in the humanities, at Carleton University in Canada in 2004, and earned a BA in Psychology from the University of Iceland in 1996. She was Director of Undergraduate Studies in Psychology at RU from 2014 to 2021, after which she became Chair of the Department of Psychology. Kamilla Rún has been actively involved in the department’s strategic development since its establishment, as well as in the development of its undergraduate program.

More recently, Kamilla Rún has led work related to RU’s participation in the NeurotechEU network and the development of two joint degree programs within the network, which will be housed within the new Department of Neuroscience and Health Technology.

Kamilla Rún is a respected researcher in cognitive and applied psychology and has led and participated in major interdisciplinary research projects. Her key research projects include studies on detecting stress, workload, and fatigue in air traffic control through measurements of physiological factors and artificial intelligence, as well as research into cognitive functioning in relation to sleep disorders. Kamilla Rún has published numerous scientific articles in international academic journals. She also has extensive experience teaching at the university level. She supervises doctoral students in psychology in the Department of Psychology and has supervised numerous master’s and BSc students in research projects.