First and foremost, ECVP is a vibrant scientific community. ECVP 2024 will introduce a series of roundtable discussions to tackle some important debates in academia and scientific research in general. From the 26th of August until the 29th, on each day of the conference, we will have two parallel roundtables at the P&J Live from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm (lunch time), where a panel of speakers will discuss with the ECVP audience some important issues in academia.
Below, you can find the planned roundtables with a short description:
Monday the 26th of August: 12.30 to 1.30 pm
The future of perception science and philosophy in the age of generative AIs: Phenomenology, epistemology, consciousness
led by Dr Dhanraj Vishwanath (University of St Andrews, UK)
Panel members:
Qasim Zaidi (State University Of New York)
Justin Ales (University of St Andrews)
Anya Hurlbert (Newcastle University)
Mazviita Chirimuuta (University of Edinburgh)
Paul Hibbard (University Of Stirling)
In the last two years, generative AI systems have shown unprecedented advances in the domains of language and image/video understanding and generation. Central functional problems of perception such as object recognition, concept learning, scene understanding, and 3D representation appear to be well on their way to being solved by AI systems. Does this mean that we no longer need knowledge of human perception to build machines that can see? Or does it reinforce the need for a more detailed understanding of the peculiarities of human perception in terms of representation (epistemology), phenomenology (subjective states), and conscious awareness. These questions lie at the intersection of perception science, philosophy, and machine learning. In this roundtable discussion, which includes psychologists and philosophers, we aim for a lively discussion on how recent advances in AI bear on longstanding issues in human perception research, and vice-versa.
PhD pathways: Navigating challenges and embracing opportunities
led by Dr Ana Rozman and Prof Patric Bach (University of Sussex and University of Aberdeen, UK)
Panel members:
Sabrina Hansmann Roth (University Of Iceland)
Katja Fiehler (Justus Liebig University Giessen)
Michael Herzog (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne)
Sara Spotorno (Durham University)
John Greenwood (University College London)
Doing a PhD is a journey marked by challenges as well as many new opportunities. How we approach these impacts our time working on a PhD, as well as our future as ‘Drs’, whether on academic or other pathways. In this roundtable, we will bring together academics from diverse backgrounds and at different career stages as they share their PhD experiences and insights on PhD student mentoring. They will discuss how to overcome challenges in research, achieve work-life balance, and manage mental health, while also making the most of the unique opportunities a PhD offers, such as exploring new interests, developing transferable skills, and building a supportive network. A PhD journey can be a truly transformative and rewarding experience. This session will offer practical insights into ensuring this is the case, whether for yourself or your mentees.
Tuesday the 27th of August: 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Pursuing a career in industry: Perspectives and insights
led by Prof Arash Sahraie (University of Aberdeen, UK)
Panel members:
Andrew Watson (Apple)
Gerrit Maus (Magic Leap)
Christiane Wiebel-Herboth (Honda Research Institute Europe Gmbh)
Maria Olkkonen (Microsoft)
Dan Spiegel (Meta Reality Labs)
Thinking about taking your vision science expertise into the industry? Join us for an engaging roundtable discussion on “Pursuing a career in industry: Perspectives and insights“. This session is tailored for post-docs and early career researchers who are exploring career paths beyond academia. Hear from professionals who have contributed or now thriving in leading companies (Meta, Honda, Apple, Microsoft, and Magic Leap) taking their expertise from laboratories to the industry. Our panellists will share their experiences, discuss the differences between academic and industry research work, and provide practical advice on making the leap. Learn about the diverse range of opportunities available, the skills that industry values, and how to navigate the transition smoothly. This is a unique chance to ask questions, gain insights, and consider new career possibilities. Whether you’re actively considering a move or just curious about your options, this roundtable will offer valuable perspectives for your career journey.
Vision science, climate and biodiversity
led by Prof Simon Rushton and Prof Laurie Wilcox (Cardiff University, UK and York University, CA)
Panel members:
Andrew Parker (Physiological Society)
Jordan Harold (University of East Anglia)
Jon Peirce (Open Science Tools)
Simon Rushton (Cardiff University)
Neil Handley (College of Optometrists)
As a vision scientist, what can I do? What should I do? What resources are available to help me? This round table session will grapple with these questions and try to provide some answers. The session will be chaired by Laurie Wilcox. Jordan Harold will explain how the application of vision research has informed the design of data visuals in the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. Andrew Parker, who in his role as treasurer, will explain the work the Physiological Society has done with its members on education, the identification of research priorities, practices and responsibilities, its work with funders, and the provision of expert advice to policymakers. Simon Rushton will describe some of the initiatives, such as the 1in5project, taken by academics at universities around the world. Neil Handley of the College of Optometrists (UK) will cover the current status of environmental policy and practice in eye health and eye health research and the work of a wider group of vision-aligned learned societies. Jon Peirce will give an overview of online tools, such as Pavlovia, that provide resources and sharing opportunities, for vision scientists who want to find a way to bring climate into their research.
Wednesday the 28th of August: 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Out of the lab and into the world: Interdisciplinary approaches in applied vision research
led by Prof Benjamin Wolfe and Prof Anna Kosovicheva (University of Toronto, CA)
Panel members:
Meike Ramon (University of Lausanne)
Sofie Beier (Centre for Visibility Design, Royal Danish Academy)
Miguel Eckstein (UC Santa Barbara)
What does it mean to do interdisciplinary research in vision science? How can I get started taking the questions I’m interested in and applying them to real-world problems in a wide range of settings? My funding agency wants me to think about impact outside my lab, but how do I do this? The goal of this roundtable discussion is to provide attendees with a new perspective on how the questions they are interested in might also be relevant outside our own research community. While vision science has a long history of clinical collaborations with optometry and ophthalmology, this roundtable focuses on a wider range of research topics and approaches beyond these longstanding links. This lunchtime discussion will bring together speakers who work in a wide range of applied and fundamental spaces drawing on tools and techniques in vision science in domains including data visualization, facial recognition, human factors, driver safety and medical image perception. We welcome attendees at all career stages, from trainees figuring out their next steps to postdocs and PIs contemplating new research directions.
How can we make effective and responsible use of generative AI help to progress vision science research?
led by Dr Sophie Nightingale (University of Lancaster, UK)
Panel members:
Amy Dawel (Australian National University)
Victor Navarro (Cardiff University)
Ross Goutcher (University of Stirling)
AI systems are now capable of generating highly realistic visual and auditory content which is often indistinguishable from the natural world. This content is changing the human perceptual experience and has implications for how we study human perception going forward. As such, while generative AI offers exciting and innovative opportunities for scientific advancement in our understanding of human perception, researchers need to balance these opportunities with the challenges. For example, the use of AI-generated stimuli often brings new and complex questions around ethics, privacy, and confidentiality, and feed into bigger debates around fair use and AI regulation. This lunchtime roundtable brings together experts in vision science to learn about their use of generative AI and where they see the opportunities and challenges, and to consider how to use generative AI in an ethical, responsible, and fair way to meaningfully progress vision science.
Thursday the 29th of August: 12.30 to 1.30 pm
Pursuing an academic career: Perspectives and insights
led by Prof Ben Tatler (University of Aberdeen, UK)
Panel members:
Ed Silson (University of Edinburgh)
Laura Dugué (Université Paris Cité)
Luca Ronconi (Vita-Salute San Raffaele University)
David Pascucci (Lausanne University Hospital and University Of Lausanne)
Koulla Mikellidou (University of Limassol)
Nihan Alp (Sabanci University)
Aimed at post-docs and early career researchers, this roundtable is all about sharing the real-life experiences of researchers pursuing an academic career. No stuffy presentations here—just a friendly, informal discussion where you’ll have a chance to hear about the ups and downs of the academic job hunt. Our panellists, fresh from their own academic journeys, will offer practical tips, candid advice, and a dose of encouragement. Whether you are curious about navigating the job market or looking for some reassurance that you are on the right track, this is your chance to ask questions and get honest answers. We will cover topics like networking, publishing, work-life balance, and the hidden challenges of academia. You will also hear about strategies for securing funding and building collaborations. Come for the insights and leave with fresh perspectives from peers around the world! Do not miss out on this chance to connect, learn, and feel inspired on your academic career journey.
Data collection on online platforms: Challenges and future developments
led by Dr Clare Sutherland (University of Aberdeen, UK)
Panel members:
Becca Hirst (Open Science Tools)
Sebastian Mathôt (OpenSesame)
Johanna Tomczak (Gorilla)
Costi Rezlescu (Testable)
Andrew Gordon (Prolific)
In this roundtable, we speak to leading providers of online data collection methods (Gorilla, OpenSesame, PsychoPy, Prolific Academic and Testable) about the future of online participant testing. Our lunchtime conversation will consider the advantages and disadvantages of online data collection, reflect on new tools and methods for testing participants remotely, and ask how online data collection can help vision science studies in particular. Whether you’re an experienced researcher with online data collection methods or thinking about how to adapt your experiments online for the first time, this roundtable will offer you the chance to find out everything you’d like to know about online testing (and where we go from here) from the industry providers themselves.