Visual Attention & Cognition Lab


Recruiting PhD Graduate Students for Fall 2012

The Visual Attention and Cognition Lab is recruiting graduate students to start in fall 2012 as part the Human Factors & Applied Cognition PhD Program. Current juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in the Visual Attention and Cognition Lab are encouraged to contact Prof. Matt Peterson with their expressions of interest.


Click here to learn more about the PhD program and how to apply.


Research Areas

  • Control of eye movements, and the coupling of visual attention and eye movements
  • The interaction between working memory and attention (and eye movements)
  • How memory and other factors guide attention during visual search
  • Scene perception
  • Change detection
  • Task switching
  • Changes in attentional control as we age.
  • Neuroergonomics


    • Current Lab Members


    Matt Peterson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, mpeters2@gmu.edu

    Bobby Azarian, Ph.D. student - Neuroscience, sazarian@masonlive.gmu.edu

    Eric Blumberg, PhD student, eblumbe2@masonlive.gmu.edu



    Allie Sleeman, Master's Student, asleeman@masonlive.gmu.edu



    Melissa Smith, PhD Student, msmith32@masonlive.gmu.edu

    Yi-Fang Tsai, PhD student - ABD 2011, ytsai1@masonlive.gmu.edu



    Former Lab Members

    Melissa Beck, PhD, Assistant Professor at LSU, mbeck@lsu.edu

    Jason Wong, PhD, Research Psychologist at Naval Undersea Warfare Center, jason.h.wong@navy.mil

    Mirka Vomela, MA