Susanne Ferber, Professor

Dr. Ferber completed a Ph.D. at the University of Osnabruck, followed by a PostDoctoral fellowship at the University of Western Ontario.  She joined the faculty at The University of Toronto in 2002, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2008 and Full Professor in 2014.  She has received a number of awards and honours including an Early Researcher Award from the Province of Ontario and a Fellowship Award from the German American Academic council.

Her research program is focused on the cognitive and neural mechanism underlying the awareness of perception and comprises diverse methodological approaches including investigation of cognitive impairments in neurological patients (i.e. patients with Spatial Neglect), and fMRI and EEG imaging studies. Dr. Ferber has published over 70 papers in the field of cognitive neuroscience.  

Email: ferber@psych.utoronto.ca

Ryan Williams, Graduate Student

I am a fifth year PhD in the Ferber Lab (co-supervised by Jay Pratt). I am interested in exploring the nature of how our goals interact with attentional control systems to influence the information we attend to and subsequently recall, especially as it applies to aging populations. My research largely relies on electrophysiological methods to investigate such questions, though I also look forward to utilizing eye-tracking and neuroimaging techniques in the future. In my spare time, I enjoy exercising at the gym, and attending various music concerts. 

Email: ryanscott.williams@mail.utoronto.ca

Logan Doyle, Graduate Student

I am a third year PhD student in the Ferber Lab. This is my first year at the University of Toronto, as I received my BSc in Cognitive Science from Mount Allison University where I studied multisensory integration as it relates to visual and haptic modes of object learning. My current research interests involve visual perception, its interaction with systems of attention and reward, and the relationship between conscious subjective experience and the processing of presented visual information. Recreationally, I go to libraries, museums, art galleries and the gym. I also enjoy curating playlists, and listening to podcasts.

Email: lkdoyle@mta.ca

Avalon NisenBaum, Graduate Student

Avalon joined the Ferber Lab in the fall of 2023 as a PhD student. She received her BScH in Psychology from Queen’s University. Her current research interests involve understanding how memory is impacted during periods of mind wandering, if heightened focus can improve information processing and memory performance, and understanding the underlying processes associated with our attentional control systems. Outside of the lab, Avalon enjoys music, cooking, and spending time with friends, family, and her pets!  

Email: avalon.nisenbaum@mail.utoronto.ca

Hana Yabuki, Graduate Student

I'm a first year PhD student co-supervised by Dr. Ferber and Dr. Fukuda. My current research interests lie in visual working memory, metacognition, and visual attention. Previously, I was supervised by Dr. Stephaniew Goodhew at the Australian National University, where I examined effortful attention in older adults. Outside of the PhD grind, I'm often cooking, dancing, or convincing myself I'm not cold in Toronto's icy weather (relative to Singapore's tropical climate).

Email: hana.yabuki@mail.utoronto.ca