Stephen Kosslyn – Profile

Stephen Michael Kosslyn is an American psychologist who specializes in the fields of cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience. He was the John Lindsley Professor of Psychology until the end of 2010 and Dean of Social Science at Harvard University. In January 2011 he became director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. His research is wide ranging and has concentrated on how images are captured, stored in memory, interpreted and transformed within the brain. Throughout his academic career he has published widely on these issues with over 300 papers and numerous books on how the results can be used in real-world settings to improve how visual information is presented – these studies includes the presentation of graphs, display signs and Powerpoint presentations. It is the linkage between academic world and practical guidelines that makes his work accessible and applicable.

He has received numerous honors for his research including the National Academy of Sciences Initiatives in Research Award, the Prix Jean-Louis Signoret, and two honorary doctorates (from the University of Caen, France, and the University of Paris-Descartes). The last two from French universities are particularly interesting as he lists one of his hobbies as struggling with the French language.

Links

Stephen Kosslyn's biography on counterbalance.org

Kosslyn appointed director of Stanford's Center for Advanced study on the Behavioral Sciences - story from Stanford

Mental Images in the Brain, a talk by Stephen Kosslyn. Watch on YouTube (part 2, part 3)

Stephen Kosslyn - Rethinking Powerpoint on YouTube