I am pleased to invite you to attend the MiNDS Colloquium TODAY Thursday February 27th at 3:00 in HSC 4E20. Bring your coffee cup for coffee and cookies before the talk at 2:45.

Dr. Robert Sekuler is a professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at Brandeis University. Dr Sekuler obtained his Bachelors degree at Brandeis University in Massachusetts in 1960 and completed his PhD at Brown University in Providence Rhode Island in 1964. Robert then worked as a Post Doctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one year before beginning as an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University. He continued his work at Northwestern until 1989 when he moved to Brandeis University. In addition to his academic work at Brandeis he has also worked at The Children's Hospital in Boston as well as Boston University.

Dr Sekuler directs the Vision Laboratory where they study visual perception and cognitive processes. His areas of expertise include visual perception, cognitive processes, particularly visual memory, navigation of complex environments, imitation of seen actions, and age-related changes in cognitive function.

For nearly a century, researchers have suspected a connection between cortical oscillations in the alpha band (8-14 Hz) and attentional states.  Studies from Dr Sekuler's laboratory demonstrate a clear link between alpha band power and suppression of task-irrelevant sensory inputs, visual as well as auditory.  This suppression serves and protects short-term memory against damaging interference and distortion.  Despite these demonstrations and related ones by others, the mechanism of alpha's action has remained a subject of uncertainty and speculation.  He will present a neural network simulation that seeks to provide a mechanistic account of alpha's ability to serve and protect, and identifies key functional limitations on that ability.  

We look forward to seeing you all at the talk today.

Regards

Kathy

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Kathryn M Murphy PhD

Hamilton ON L8S 4K1