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Department of Psychological Sciences

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Contact Information

Email
(615) 322-6029
61 Wilson Hall

Research Area

Education

B.A., Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin, Psychology, 1959
Ph.D., Psychology, Duke University, 1965 - Thesis Advisor: I.T. Diamond
Postdoctoral Fellow, Neurophysiology, University of Wisconsin, 1965-1968 - Sponsor: C.N. Woolsey

Advising

Societies

  • Society for Neuroscience
  • Society of Experimental Psychologists
  • American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • National Academy of Science
  • Cajal Club

Jon Kaas

Distinguished Centennial Professor of Psychology
Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

Kaas's major research interests are in the evolution and functional organization of sensory-perceptual, cognitive, and motor systems, especially in primates, in the development of these systems, and in how these systems are plastic in response to injury and use in developing and adult brains. Special research emphasis is placed on studying visual, auditory and somatosensory systems, but current studies are also concerned with multimodal and sensorimotor integration in parietal and frontal cortex. Research questions are addressed with a range of electrophysiological, neuroanatomical, biochemical, and behavioral techniques. Teaching interests are in neuroscience, biological psychology, and animal behavior.

Current Research

  • Single and multielectrode recordings of neurons in primary somatosensory cortex of monkeys.
  • Optical imaging of functional subdivisions of visual cortex in monkeys.
  • Studies of anatomical connections of neural networks in brain systems devoted to somatosensory, visual, auditory, motor, and gustatory functions in monkeys.
  • Studies of brain architecture.

Research Associates

  • Iwona Stepniewska, Research Assistant Professor, Ph.D. 1985 in Neurophysiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland. Major Research Interests: visual and motor systems, and the organization of the thalamus in primates.
  • Hui-Xin Qi, Research Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 1996 in Neurophysiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.  Major Research Interests: neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of somatosensory systems of primates, and plasticity of somatosensory and motor systems in adult and developing primates.
  • Christine Collins, Research Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 1998 in Biopsychology, Cornell University, Ithica, New York. Major Research Interests: visual system; brain plasticity; genetics of brain organization; scaling factors in brain evolution.

Previous Positions

  • Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin, Neurophysiology Dept. 1968-1972.
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Quick Links

Doctoral Program Concentrations

Upcoming Events

2/8/2012 at 4:10 pm
Vanderbilt Vision Research Seminar Series

1220 MRB III

 
Clayton E. Curtis, Ph.D.
Psychology and Neural Science
New York University

Testing predictions from the priority map theory

2/9/2012 at 12:10 pm
Department of Psychology Neuroscience Seminar

316 Wilson Hall

 
Ryan Stevenson, PhD.
Hearing and Speech Sciences
Postdoctoral Fellow in Wallace Lab

Multisensory temporal integration in typical and autistic populations

2/10/2012 at 4:10 pm
CCN Brown Bag

204 Mayborn (Peabody Campus)

 
Stephen Killingsworth
Graduate Student
Levin Lab

“Representing Others' Motions: Hands, Tools, and Spatial Directions”

2/14/2012 at 12:10 pm
Clinical Psychology Brown Bag Series

316 Wilson Hall

 
Adrienne Arrindell
Graduate Student
Schlundt Lab

Title & Abstract TBA

2/16/2012 at 12:10 pm
Department of Psychology Neuroscience Seminar

316 Wilson Hall

 
Pooja Balaram
Graduate Student
Kaas Lab

Title & Abstract TBA

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