Chair: Michael J. Kalsher
Co-Chair: Selmer Bringsjord
Department Home Page: http://www.cogsci.rpi.edu

Cognitive Science is broadly defined as the study of the mind or brain, how it is structured, how it functions, and how it can be represented and simulated. It is theoretically grounded in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, logic, and philosophy of knowledge and mind. Its practical applications include artificial intelligence, cognitive engineering and human factors, cognitive modeling, industrial/organizational psychology, perception and action, and psychopharmacology.

At the graduate level, the department has a tradition of teaching and scholarship in applied areas of psychology and philosophy, which has led to its current focus on cognitive science. Rensselaer’s modern cognitive research facilities, include the Minds and Machines Laboratory, Cognitive Science Laboratory, Interactive and Distance Education Assessment (IDEA) Laboratory, and dedicated space in the Institute’s new Social and Behavioral Research Laboratory. These facilities provide a new expression of the Department’s interests in cognitive science that integrates the diverse research activities of the faculty in the department. An important overall goal of the department’s programs at the graduate level is to prepare its graduates for careers as researchers in four related areas within cognitive science, including cognitive human factors, reasoning and decision-making processes, cognitive modeling, and perception and action.

At the undergraduate level, the department has maintained separate programs in philosophy and psychology leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in each discipline, respectively. An important goal of the undergraduate program, particularly those enrolled in the Minds and Machines program, is to prepare students for careers in the rapidly growing “Information Economy.” For undergraduate programs with associated faculty in philosophy, look under the heading “Philosophy.” For undergraduate programs with associated faculty in psychology, and those associated with the Minds and Machines program, look under “Psychology.”

Faculty

Departmental faculty listings are accurate as of the date generated for inclusion in this catalog. For the most up-to-date listing of faculty positions, including end-of-year promotions, please refer to the Faculty Roster section of this catalog, which is current as of the May 2002 Board of Trustees meeting.

Professors
Baron, R.A.—Ph.D. (University of Iowa); industrial/organizational psychology, social psychology.
Bringsjord, S.—Ph.D. (Brown University); logic, philosophical logic, philosophy of artificial intelligence.
Koller, J.M.—Ph.D. (University of Hawaii); Asian and comparative thought, social philosophy, philosophy of religion.
Puka, W.J.—Ph.D. (Harvard University); ethics, cognitive-moral psychology, applied cognitive science.
Rea, M.S.—Ph.D. (Ohio State University); visual psychophysics, lighting.
Reid, L.D.—Ph.D. (University of Utah); physiological psychology of reinforcement, drug and alcohol addiction.
Wallace, W.A.—Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); decision processes and cognition, decision support systems, improvisation, visualization and modeling.
Watt, J.—Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin-Madison); survey research via the Internet; marketing communication; media and Web cognitive processes; mathematical models of communication processes.
Zenzen, M.J., Jr.—Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, aesthetics.

Associate Professors
Kalsher, M.J.—Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University); human factors, industrial/organizational psychology, applied experimental psychology.
Noble, R.G.—Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley); psychobiology of choice and decision making.
Stokes, A.F.—Ph.D. (Open University Milton Keynes); engineering psychology, human factors, aviation psychology, cognitive psychology.
Assistant Professors
Fajen, Brett R.—Ph.D. (University of Connecticut); visual perception, perception and action, ecological psychology, dynamical systems modeling; visual reality.
Lee, Frank J.—Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University); cognitive science, cognitive modeling.
Yang, Yingrui—Ph.D. (New York University); cognitive psychology, thinking, reasoning and decision-making, cognitive science.

Clinical Assistant Professors
Fahey, J.T.—Ph.D. (University of Albany, SUNY); philosophy of science, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of artificial intelligence.
Hubbell, C.L.—Ph.D. (SUNY-Albany); behavioral neuroscience; psychopharmacology, learning.
Traver, H.—Ph.D. (SUNY-Albany); affirmative action, interactive learning, sexual harassment, industrial/organizational psychology.
VerWys C.—Ph.D. (SUNY-Albany); social psychology, forensic psychology.

Adjunct Faculty
Alliger, G.—Ph.D. (University of Akron); industrial/organizational psychology.
Anderson, K.—Ph.D. (University of Georgia); counseling/clinical psychology.
Athanasiou, R.—M.D. (Albany Medical Center), Ph.D. (University of Michigan); medical psychology,
Boyce, P.—Ph.D. (Reading University, U.K.); human factors in lighting.
Haas, E.—Ph.D. (Virginia Tech); human factors of visual and auditory processes.
Luchins, A.—Ph.D. (New York University); problem solving and thinking.
Luchins, E.—Ph.D. (University of Oregon); cognitive science applications to mathematics, learning, and teaching.
Vredenburgh, A.—Ph.D. (California School of Professional Psychology); human factors, industrial/organizational psychology, safety, forensics.
Williams, K.—Ph.D. (University of Southern California); industrial/organizational psychology.
Wogalter, M.S.—Ph.D. (Rice University); warnings, risk perception, hazard communication, human computer interaction.