On brain decoding and representational geometry: how computational techniques are shaping our understanding of the human brain

Speaker: Tijl Grootswagers

Affiliation: Western Sydney University

Time: Thursday 10/11/2022 from 12:00 to 13:00

Venue: Zoom Only

Zoom ID: 840 1301 1482 Password: 763387

Abstract: Computational methods have significantly transformed the landscape of cognitive neuroscience. In this talk, I will present an overview of how computational methods have transformed the study of brain function, focusing on advancements of the last decade. I will then give a detailed account of a popular geometry-based method and how it is used to study information processing in the brain, with examples of how I use this method in my research to further our understanding the neurobiology underpinning efficient human object recognition. I will close with a discussion of currently unsolved problems that could benefit from new perspectives.

Biography: Dr Tijl Grootswagers is a Computational Cognitive Neuroscientist who combines computer science techniques, neuroimaging, and behavioural data to understand how the human brain represents and processes information. He holds a bachelors and master's degrees in Artificial Intelligence from Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and a PhD in cognitive science from Macquarie University. He was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sydney in computational cognitive neuroscience before joining the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development at Western Sydney University as a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience. In 2022, he was awarded a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award from the Australian Research Council to continue his work in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience.