My research programme relates to visual information processing and the computations underlying perception and cognition. Understanding the computations underlying vision requires precise knowledge of how visual information is encoded in single neurones and across populations of neurones. Given that the neuronal code is used to transmit the information, this strand of my research programme can be likened to trying to understand the language of the brain. While it is necessary to determine the structure of the “language of the brain”, it is also necessary to know what factors influence the encoded information. The goal of my research programme is to relate detailed description of the encoded information to behaviour. As of August 2012, over 50 publications have been output including 39 peer reviewed journal articles (cited >2500 times, h-index = 22).

This programme has far reaching consequences for our understanding the computations underlying perception and cognition. Perceptual and cognitive processes are derived from studies measuring behaviour under carefully controlled experimental studies. There is growing evidence that many of the behaviours used to infer such psychological processes can also be predicted directly from sensory information encoded in neuronal representations without the need to postulate the current plethora of perceptual and cognitive processes. My research utilises a range of techniques aimed at bringing together ideas, data and models from neuroscience, psychophysics and cognitive psychology. The results help build toward a common conceptual framework allowing fruitful study of behaviour across this wide range of approaches and levels.

In pursuit of this research programme I apply information theoretic and modelling techniques to neurophysiological and behavioural data. (Oram & Perrett 1994; Oram & Foldiak 1996; Perrett & Oram 1998; Oram & MacLeod 2001; Oram, under revision; Williams & Oram, under revision; Oram, in prep; Oram & Jentzsch, in submission). For example, the development of novel analysis and modelling methods allows examination of the information content, including the associated changes over time, of neurophysiological data (Oram & Perrett 1992, 1994, 1996; Oram et al 1999; Oram et al 2002, Barraclough et al. 2005; Barraclough et al. 2006; van Rossum et al, 2008; Oram, 2010; Endres & Oram, 2010; Endres et al, 2010; Oram, 2011; Cortes et al in press; Oram & Jentszch, in submission). Examples of the value of this integrated approach are available here.

Position

Research Center

Dates

Lecturer

School of Psychology, St Andrews University,St Andrews, Fife, UK

1999 – present

Fogerty International Research Fellow

Laboratory of Neuroscience, National Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

1996 – 1999

Research Assistant

School of Psychology & Neuroscience, St. Andrews University, St Andrews, Fife, UK

1988 – 1996

Degree

Title

University

Dates

B. Sc.

Zoology

Bristol University

1982 – 1986

M. Sc.

Biological Computation

York University

1987 – 1988

Ph.D.

The neurophysiology of form and motion processing in the temporal lobe of the macaque monkey

St. Andrews University

1992 – 1996

Source

Date

Value

SRIF3 (Lead applicant)

2006

£249,000

EU Framework (Collaborator with Dave Perrett)

2002-2005

£140,000

Forgerty International Research Fellowship

1996-1999

£60,000

Grindley Grant

1996

£250

Guarantors of Brain travel grant

1996

£500

The Royal Society of London travel grant

1996

£416

Guarantors of Brain travel grant

1994

£500

MRC: "Recognition of objects and their motion"

1994

£92,000

Invited speaker, 6th International Neural Coding Workshop, Marburg, Germany

2005

Invited article, Network – Computation in Neural Systems

2005

Invited speaker, Early Cognitive Vision Workshop, Isle of Skye, UK

2004

Invited speaker, 5th International Workshop on Neural Coding, Aulla, Italy

2003

Invited participant, Neuroecology and the visual brain, Newcastle

2002

Invited speaker, Royal Society of London

2001

Invited participant, Novartis Foundation discussion meeting

2001

Invited participant, MRC/EPSRC strategy meeting

2001

Invited News & Views article for Nature Neuroscience

1999

Invited article, TINS

1998

Invited article, Neural Networks

1994

External PhD examiner: UCL (1999)

Internal PhD examiner: 2002, 2*2003, 2004, 2005

Grant reviewer: MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, Wellcome Trust

Reviewer for: Nature, Science, Proc R Soc, TINS, J Neurosci, J Neurophysiol, Euro J Neurosci, Exp Brain Res, Neuropsychologia, J Comp Neurosci, Network, Psych Bull Rev