Next, with Mary Hayhoe & others at UT Austin, I’ll be using the VEDB & similar datasets to study how natural exploratory behaviors + retinotopic visual cues contribute to real-world spatial understanding. Stay tuned! 8/8
…with first-person video and eye-/head-tracking data (@mgreenephd.bsky.social et al), in a way that is more shaped by natural behavior than the typical stimulus set. This could enable data-driven identification of 3D cues with less reliance on verbal interpretations of models & features. 7/
Then how can we build a fuller picture of visual contributions to spatial processing? We discuss multiple avenues for accounting for complex interactions between image-computable models & stimulus sets. E.g., recent large datasets like the VEDB record natural human experience… 6/
… + what merits recording/posting a photo or video. And results from us + others hint that “3D” features vs. “2D” cues co-occur differently across stimulus sets in a way that impacts scientific conclusions. (@neuromdl.bsky.social & Gallant, 2019; myself et al., VSS 2022; Lescroart, VSS 2025) 5/
But a requirement that cues *reliably co-occur* with higher-level info is massively inconvenient without a large-scale understanding of real-world co-occurrences. Even with photo/video stimuli, regularities within/across stimuli are influenced eg by the 3D structure of the world … 4/
For example, to the extent that down-left oriented edges in the upper right visual field reliably cue a wall to an observer’s right, we argue that this is a meaningful 3D cue, irrespective of verbal interpretations of features/models *in isolation* (see Discussion). 3/
Instead, scene regions (OPA/PPA/RSC) could support spatial scene understanding *by virtue* of statistical regularities in features like orientation, spatial frequency, and motion that co-occur with and act as *cues* to our understanding of the 3D spaces around us. 2/
Excited that this work with @serences.bsky.social and @timbrady.bsky.social is now out! Our Gabor-wavelet model better predicted voxel responses in scene regions than 3D models. Does this mean that scene areas aren’t “for” processing 3D scene structure? NO, we argue. 1/
dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Excited for @crane-navsci.bsky.social conference!
Our keynote speaker is @russellepstein.bsky.social, with a panel @noranewcombe.bsky.social @aliprestonphd.bsky.social and Daniel Dilks. This is a super intimate and interdisciplinary conference focused on spatial cognition.
Submissions are open!
**Rethinking the centrality of brain areas in understanding functional organization**
New paper I anticipate will become a classic in neuroscience and a must-read for students at all levels.
Understanding brain function beyond brain areas.
#neuroskyence
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My lab is hiring!
We have an opening for a full-time RA to focus on computational modeling and fMRI analysis. Programming skills are required. Psych/cog/neuro experience not necessary but a big plus. A great fit for someone who wants lab experience before grad school.
Details and job link below ⬇️
Thinking of applying to US-based Ph.D. programs in neuroscience, psychology, or cognitive science? We’ve got your back! NYU’s Application Support Group is a student-led, free mentorship program offering 1-on-1 support and guidance. Apply now! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
If you’re heading to SF for #CogSci2025 this week and are interested in mobile EEG or spatial memory, come check out my talk on Thursday! (Talks 11: EEG, 2:15pm, Salon 5).
I’m hiring a full-time lab tech for two years starting May/June. Strong coding skills required, ML a plus. Our research on the human brain uses fMRI, ANNs, intracranial recording, and behavior. A great stepping stone to grad school. Apply here:
careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
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🚨New job alert! My lab is hiring a lab manager. Perfect position for a graduating senior who is interested in full-time research before applying to graduate school. #Neuroskyence #PsychSciSky #VisionScience #MLSky Apply here: www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?...
Are short-term memories just noisier versions of what we perceive? Are they fundamentally different? We (Chaipat Chunharas, @mjwolff.bsky.social, @meikehettwer.bsky.social and myself) delved into this in a paper out now in #elife: elifesciences.org/reviewed-pre.... For a quick summary, a 🧵 below:
I'm hiring a full-time research assistant to start this Summer!
The lab studies perception and cognition from infancy to adulthood using neuroimaging, behavioral, and computational approaches
For more details about the lab and the position, see: vlad-lab.com/join
#psychjobs #neurojobs
The ADAM lab will be at #opam and Psychonomics #psynom24!
@olgakozlova.bsky.social has a talk on goal setting + WM, friend-of-the-lab @philippmusfeld.bsky.social has a poster on the effect of long-term learning on neural WM representations, and I have a talk on behavioral signatures LTM + WM!
We have added over a dozen accounts since we first made this started pack! Please let us know if we missed you 🧠
Black In Neuro starter pack: go.bsky.app/F8PpdPe
#Blackademics #BlackInSTEM #Neuroscience 🧪
