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Beau Zhang

Beau  Zhang
  • Graduate Student
  • Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience

BIOGRAPHY

MA, Psychology, Michigan State University, 2022

MA, Social Sciences, University of Chicago, 2019

BS, Psychology, University of Denver, 2018


LINKS

Curriculum Vitae: Beau Zhang

Brascamp Research Lab


BIOGRAPHY

What is happening in the brain when someone sees an optical illusion?

As a cognitive neuroscience PhD candidate, I strive to understand the internal mechanisms underlying the dynamics of this phenomenon, also known as bistable visual perception. By measuring pupil dilation and constriction, I examine the associated neural events in the brain. Simple changes in pupil signatures can be incredibly informative in revealing what neural activity is engaged when our visual system is presented with ambiguous visual inputs, like optical illusions. As a researcher, I strive to find practical and conceptual insights that can be meaningful to everyday life. Using data to identify solutions to complex problems is also important to me as a researcher.

I am also deeply committed to advocating for the disabled community here at MSU, raising awareness for, and promoting education on various visible and invisible disabilities.