Nikki Johnson

Background

About Nikki Johnson

Nikki Johnson is a forward-thinking interdisciplinary researcher, writer / editor, TED Circle discussion leader, and Ph.D. student passionate about furthering the objectives of psychological development, consciousness studies, and lifelong learning.She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology (“Consciousness and Society”) at the University of West Georgia, where she serves as chapter vice president of Phi Kappa Phi.Having read deep and wide into many vastly different disciplines, she specializes in synthesizing concepts from far-flung sources to forge extraordinary new insights. Her dissertation research is focused on exploring the atypical abilities, psychosocial challenges, and educational interventions for "intuitive introverts," as defined by Carl Jung.Nikki has also developed an interdisciplinary model of consciousness known as the ASTRO model (short for “Astrocyte Syncytium Transliminality & Resonance Orchestration”), particularly focused upon explaining the neurophysical mechanisms that appear to be involved in altered states and “peak” / “plateau” experiences (as articulated by Abraham Maslow and discussed in the context of many different psychological, spiritual, and philosophical traditions). Her research highlights the underrated role played by astrocytes (i.e, a type of glial cell interconnected across the entire central nervous system) in multiple theories of consciousness as well as their crucial involvement in coordinating whole-brain function, based upon emerging findings.Since 2014, she has traveled the world as a digital nomad, exploring 40 countries on six continents.Previously, Nikki built a Fortune 500 career in Content Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Branding. Having risen to Vice President of Copywriting for a fast-growth Internet marketing agency — in which she directed content production for over hospitality- and travel-industry clients (including all major hotel brands) — she launched two businesses of her own and served as Marketing Director for a financial platform, driving $2.1 million in daily revenue.Nikki graduated with Honors in Print Journalism from Pennsylvania State University. As a talented writer and investigator, she reported for four newspapers: The Hill, the Centre Daily Times, the Daily Collegian, and The Times Herald.In recent years, she has worked as an independent consultant, public speaker, and TED Circle discussion leader — concentrating her energy upon acquiring knowledge and sharing wisdom about diverse subjects with self-guided intellectuals and truth seekers.