President's Visit

University of Waterloo President Visits the Face Processing & Social Cognition Lab

On February 3rd, 2017, the Face Processing & Social Cognition Lab welcomed University of Waterloo President Feridun Hamdullahpur, Vice-President University Research George Dixon, Vice-President University Relations Sandra Banks, and Vice-President Advancement Joanne Shoveller, for a tour of the lab and an overview of the lab's on-going and future research.

From left: Vice-President University Relations Sandra Banks, graduate student Sarah McCrackin, graduate student Anna Hudson, graduate student Karisa Parkington, lab director Dr. Roxane Itier, President Feridun Hamdullahpur, Vice-President University Research George Dixon, and Vice-President Advancement Joanne Shoveller

Dr. Roxane Itier (Lab Director) explained the current electroencephalography (EEG) and eye-tracking research projects on face recognition, perception of gaze and facial expressions, and the importance of these cognitive processes in social interactions. She explained the use of the EEG and eye-tracking techniques to study the neural correlates of these cognitive processes, and the lab's future projects involving children, and adults with an autism spectrum disorder.

     

Dr. Roxane Itier speaks with President Hamdullahpur in the corridor

Dr. Roxane Itier speaks with President Hamdullahpur, Vice-President University Relations Sandra Banks, Vice President Advancement Joanne Shoveller, and Vice-President Research George Dixon in the corridor

Sarah McCrackin (PhD candidate) discussed her research on the neural correlates of gaze perception in individuals with high and low social anxiety. Anna Hudson (PhD candidate) discussed her research projects on self-relevance and on the perception of facial expressions in a situational context.

Graduate students Sarah McCrackin and Anna Hudson describe their research projects.

Karisa Parkington (PhD candidate) and Karla Murtescu (an undergraduate student lab volunteer) demonstrated an EEG and eye-tracking study investigating the role of the eyes in early face perception.

Graduate student Karisa Parkington and research assistant Karla Murtescu demonstrate an EEG and eye-tracking experiment
President Hamdullahpur observes as Karla Murtescu completes an EEG and eye-tracking study demonstration.
   

The visit concluded with Dr. Itier overviewing how event-related potentials (ERPs - derived from the EEG signal) provide important information on the neural activity related to cognitive processes.