Job Information
New York University Research Assistant in the Division of Science [Psychology] - Dr. David Melcher in Abu Dhabi, United States
The Melcher Perception and Active Cognition Laboratory in the Division of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, seeks to recruit a Research Assistant to work on the mechanisms underlying how the brain rapidly processes incoming sensory information in order to guide our behavior.
Current research in the Perception and Active Cognition Laboratory focuses on four major themes:
Speed of processing: sensory information arrives continuously and needs to be processed rapidly, according to our goals. Work in our laboratory has shown that the speed of visual processing varies across people and is linked to specific neural processes that can be measured with EEG/MEG. Speed of processing also varies depending on factors such as emotional state, context, music listening, and time of day.
The role of prediction: our brains use information from the past to make, and update, predictions about upcoming sensory input. Work in our lab has shown that both longer-term learning and current information, such as a view of a stimulus in extrafoveal vision, leads to predictions that can change our perceptual interpretation of objects and events. Our lab has shown that predictions are important in quickly processing information across eye movements when looking around or reading.
Brain and body rhythms: Sensory and cognitive processing varies over time, linked to brain oscillations, external input (such as music) and body movements. Work in our laboratory investigates how external input shapes these rhythms, and how these rhythms shape our perceptions and actions.
Clinical implications, including individual differences in sensory sensitivity and temporal processing: We are investigating how individual differences in attention, sensory processing and working memory influence performance in tasks in both control and in people diagnosed with dyslexia, autism, schizophrenia and other psychological and neurological conditions.
The successful applicant will drive a fascinating project on one or more of these major themes. This will involve planning and executing experimental research with human participants. The candidate will work in a multidisciplinary environment consisting of PhD-level scientists, graduate students and undergraduate students.
Applicants must have a degree (Bachelor’s, or preferentially a Master’s degree) in Psychology, Neuroscience or a related field. Excellent experimental and neuroimaging skills relevant to the project are required, as demonstrated by publication in international scientific journals with a good ranking.
For consideration, applicants need to submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae with full publication list, statement of research interests and three letters of reference (or at least the names of three referees who have agreed to provide a letter), all in PDF format. The terms of employment are very competitive and include housing and educational subsidies for children. Applications will be accepted immediately and candidates will be considered until the position is filled. If you have any questions, please email Prof. Melcher at david.melcher@nyu.edu.
About NYUAD:
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.
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UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.
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