Prof. Virginia de Sa
- mail:
- 9500 Gilman Dr
La Jolla, CA 92093-0515
- phone:
- (858)-822-5095
- fax:
- (858)-534-1128
- email:
- lastname_a_t_cogsci.ucsd.edu
Virginia de Sa is a professor of Cognitive Science, HDSI Chancellor's
Endowed Chair, and associate director of the Halicioglu Data Science
Institute at UC San Diego. She received a B.Sci. (Engineering) from
Queens University in Ontario, and a PhD in Computer Science (machine
learning) from the University of Rochester before receiving
postdoctoral training in machine learning with Geoff Hinton at the
University of Toronto and in neuroscience, with Michael Stryker and
Michael Merzenich, at UCSF. She is a recipient of a Sony Faculty
Innovation Award, a UCSD Chancellor’s Collaboratories Award, Kavli
Innovative Research Award, NSERC 1967 Science and Engineering
Scholarship, NSERC postdoctoral fellowship, Sloan Postdoctoral
fellowship and NSF CAREER award. Her research goal is to better
understand the neural basis of human perception and learning, both
from a neural and computational point of view. She investigates the
computational properties of machine learning algorithms and what
physiological recordings and the constraints and limitations of human
performance tell us about how our brains perceive and learn. These
and related findings are used to develop computational models, improve
machine learning algorithms, and develop EEG-based brain-computer
interfaces. Her lab also uses visual illusions and technology from
brain-computer interfaces to pique student interest in science and
engineering; activities include playing with visual illusions, seeing
their own brain activity and competing with fellow students in
brain-control games.