Awarded in 2010
Home Department: Neurosciences
Faculty Advisors: Tirin Moore (Neurobiology) and Karl Deisseroth (Bioengineering, Psychiatry)

Research Title: The interdependence of frontal and parietal cortex in the control of visual spatial attention

Research Description: The ability to pay attention is a central feature of our day-to-day life that enables us to selectively process some aspects of our sensory world while ignoring others. Identifying the specific brain cells and circuits that bring about attention is essential for understanding both normal and impaired cognition, yet this is currently beyond the reach of established neurobiological techniques. Ryan’s research utilizes new technologies to measure, turn off, and turn on specific brain circuits as primates perform attention-demanding tasks. This research hopes to understand at an unprecedented level of specificity how brain activity underlies cognitive functions such as attention.

WHERE IS HE NOW?

Ryan is the owner of Lembas Data Science, a consulting practice focused on statistics and geospatial data science for internet technology companies.