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March, 2015
HULUSI KAFALIGONUL, Ph.D.
National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM)
Cyberpark, Cyberplaza C-blok, Kat: 2, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
Phone: + 90 312 290 3016
Email: hulusi@bilkent.edu.tr
Webpage: https://sites.google.com/site/hkgonul/
EDUCATION
2007
Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Thesis: Dynamics of Feature Processing for Static and Moving Objects in the Human
Visual System
Advisor: Dr. Haluk Ogmen
2007
Certificate in Cognitive Science, Center for Neuro-Engineering & Cognitive Science,
University of Houston, Houston, TX
2003
B.S. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
Concentration in Signal Processing and Communication Systems
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
2014-present
Assistant
Professor,
University, Ankara, Turkey
Interdisciplinary
Neuroscience
Program,
Bilkent
2013-present
Assistant Professor, National Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Bilkent
University, Ankara, Turkey
2008-2013
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Vision Center Laboratory, The Salk Institute for
Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
2003-2008
Research & Teaching Assistant, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering,
University of Houston, Houston, TX
HONORS & AWARDS
2013-2015
Co-Funded Brain Circulation Fellowship
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and the
European Union Marie Curie Scheme (EU-FP7 Marie Curie Actions People-COFUND)
2010
Included in Marquis Who’s Who in America 2011, 65th Edition
2008-2009
KIBM Innovative Research Award, Total Amount: $ 30000
The Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind, University of California, San Diego, CA
2003-2007
University of Houston GATF Fellowship
1999-2003
Turkish Government Tuition Scholarship
1999-2003
Sabanci Foundation Fellowship
1999
Ranked in the 99th Percentile in Turkish University Examination
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
Visual Perception and Cognition, Multisensory Integration, Systems Neuroscience, Neurophysiology,
Theoretical Brain Studies, Mathematical Modeling of Perceptual and Cognitive Processes, Applications of
Biological Models to Computer Vision Systems, Biomedical Imaging.
RESEARCH FUNDING
2014- 2016
TUBITAK 1001 Grant, Neural Mechanisms Underlying Multisensory Perception of
Speed, PI. Budget: 269400 TL (~127000 USD at the time of funding)
2013- 2015
TUBITAK 2236 Bideb Grant, Neural Mechanisms Underlying Multisensory Associative
Learning, PI. Budget: 114408 €
Advised
2015
TUBITAK 2209, National/International Research Projects Fellowship Programme for
Undergraduate Students-A (2015-1). Fellows: Meltem Karaca, Nilsu Atilgan Budget:
1100 TL (~450 USD at the time of funding)
2014
TUBITAK 2209, National/International Research Projects Fellowship Programme for
Undergraduate Students-A (2014-1). Fellows: Merve Karacaoglu, Cansu Ogulmus
Budget: 2476 TL (~1130 USD at the time of funding)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
2008- present
Member, Society for Neuroscience
2006- present
Member, Vision Sciences Society
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Editorial: Journal of Neurobehavioral Sciences, Frontiers in Perception Science
Journal Review: Attention, Perception & Psychophysics, Current Biology, Nature Scientific Reports
Book Chapter Review: Cambridge University Press
PUBLICATIONS
Kafaligonul, H., Breitmeyer B.G. and Ogmen, H. (2015). Feedforward and feedback processes in
vision. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:279.
Kafaligonul, H., Oluk, C. (2015). Audiovisual associations alter the perception of low-level visual
motion. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 9:26.
Kafaligonul, H. (2014). Vision: a systems neuroscience perspective. Journal of Neurobehavioral
Sciences, 1(2), 21-26.
Kafaligonul, H., and Stoner, G.R. (2012). Static sound timing alters sensitivity to low-level visual
motion. Journal of Vision, 12(11):2, 1-9.
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Kafaligonul, H. and Stoner, G.R. (2010). Auditory modulation of visual apparent motion with short
spatial and temporal intervals. Journal of Vision, 10(12):31, 1-13.
Kafaligonul, H., Patel, S.S., Ogmen, H., Bedell, H.E. and Purushothaman, G. (2010). Perceptual
asynchronies and the dual-channel differential latency hypothesis. In Nijhawan, R. and Khunara, B. (Eds.),
Space and Time in Perception and Action, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 379-395.
Kafaligonul, H., Breitmeyer, B.G. and Ogmen, H. (2009). Effects of contrast polarity in paracontrast
masking. Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, 71, 1576-1587.
Breitmeyer B.G., Tapia, E., Kafaligonul, H. and Ogmen, H. (2008). Metacontrast masking and
stimulus contrast polarity. Vision Research, 48, 2433-2438.
Breitmeyer, B.G., Kafaligonul, H., Ogmen, H., Mardon, L., Todd, S. and Ziegler, R. (2006). Metaand paracontrast reveal differences between contour and brightness processing mechanisms. Vision
Research, 46, 2645-2658.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
Lopes, M., Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R (submitted). Mechanisms of surround
modulation in area MT: Perceptual coherence versus Classical Receptive Field (CRF) ambiguity. to be
submitted to Journal of Neurophysiology.
Kafaligonul, H., Albright T.D. and Stoner, G.R. The influence of auditory timing on visual motion
computation in area MT. to be submitted to Journal of Neuroscience.
Ogulmus, C., Karacaoglu, M., Kafaligonul, H. Temporal Ventriloquism and Spatial Grouping
Principles of Vision. to be submitted to Journal of Vision.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS & ABSTRACTS
Kafaligonul, H., Oluk, C. (2014). Audiovisual associations alter low-level motion perception. Annual
Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Kafaligonul, H., Oluk, C. (2014). Altering perception of low-level visual motion by audiovisual
associations.37th European Conference on Visual Perception, Belgrade, Serbia.
Stoner G.R., Albright T.D., Kafaligonul, H. (2013). A phase-resetting framework for crossmodal
influences on perception. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.
Lopes, M.A., Kafaligonul, H., Albright T.D., Stoner G.R. (2013).Surround modulation in visual area
MT: Suppression/facilitation, antagonism/integration. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San
Diego, CA.
Lopes, M.A., Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R. (2013). Support for a non-human
primate (NHP) model of schizophrenia: acute subanesthetic ketamine alters center-surround
interactions. 7th Annual Salk/ Fondation Ipsen/ Nature Symposium on Biological Complexity: Molecular
Biology of Psychiatric Disorders, La Jolla, CA.
Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R. (2012). Neural mechanisms underlying a
crossmodal temporal illusion in visual area MT. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New
Orleans, LA.
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Lopes, M.A., Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R. (2012). Support for a non-human
primate (NHP) model of schizophrenia: acute subanesthetic ketamine alters center-surround
interactions. Annual Southern California Cognitive Neuroscience Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Kafaligonul, H. and Stoner, G.R. (2011). The timing of static sounds modulates sensitivity to lowlevel visual motion. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Lopes, M.A., Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R. (2011). Support for a non-human
primate (NHP) model of schizophrenia: acute subanesthetic ketamine alters center-surround
interactions. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Kafaligonul, H., Albright, T.D. and Stoner, G.R. (2011). Modulatory effect of auditory timing on
visual motion processing. Annual Meeting of the Sloan-Swartz Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology,
Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA.
Kafaligonul, H., and Stoner, G.R (2010). The auditory capture of visual timing extends to shortrange apparent motion. Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society, Naples, FL. Journal of Vision, 10, 890.
Kafaligonul, H., and Stoner, G.R (2010). Evidence that static sounds shift the temporal tuning of
lower visual areas. The Kavli Institute Brain and Mind Symposium, San Diego, CA.
Stoner, G., Klam, F. and Kafaligonul, H. (2008). An apparent disagreement between MT surround
modulation and perception. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.
Kafaligonul, H.H., Patel, S.S., Ogmen, H., Bedell, H.E. and Purushothaman, G. (2006).
Simultaneous flash-lag effects in two directions reveal a slow stage of multi-directional motion integration.
Annual Meeting of Vision Sciences Society, Sarasota, FL. Journal of Vision, 6, 641a.
Ogmen, H., Breitmeyer, B.G., Kafaligonul, H., Todd, S., Mardon, L., and Ziegler, R. (2006).
Temporal aspects of contour and brightness processing in meta- and paracontrast. Annual Meeting of
Vision Sciences Society, Sarasota, FL. Journal of Vision, 6, 122a.
Kafaligonul, H., Breitmeyer, B.G., Ogmen, H., Mardon, L., Todd, S. and Ziegler, R. (2006).
Computational and psychophysical analyses of contour and surface processing in human vision. Annual
Meeting of Houston Society for Engineering in Medicine and Biology, Houston, TX.
Kafaligonul, H., Breitmeyer, B.G., Ogmen, H., Mardon, L., Todd, S. and Ziegler, R (2005). The
dynamics of surface and contour processing in human vision. Annual GCC Conference on Theoretical and
Computational Neuroscience, Houston, TX.
Kafaligonul, H., Ogmen, H. and Bedell, H.E. (2004). Effect of exposure duration and contrast on
human blur perception. Texas Systems Day Conference, Houston, TX.
INVITED TALKS & COLLOQUIA
“Multisensory Contributions to Visual (Motion) Perception”, Informatics Institute, METU, Ankara,
Turkey, December 2014.
“Kortikal MT Bölgesindeki Görsel-işitsel Etkileşimler” (Audiovisual Interactions in Cortical Area MT),
12 National Neuroscience Meeting, Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey, May 2014.
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“Crossmodal Interactions within the Framework of Visual Motion Processing”, National
Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey, November 2013.
“Görsel Algı Mekanizmalarında Çoklu-duyusal Bağlamsal Bilginin Önemi” (The Importance of
Multisensory Contextual Information for Visual Perception), Cognitive Science Meeting, Bogazici
University, Istanbul, Turkey, September 2013.
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“Contextual Influences on Visual Motion Processing: Contributions of Auditory Timing”, Department
of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey, February 2012.
“The Underlying Mechanisms of Multisensory Interactions in Area MT”, The Kavli Institute Brain &
Mind Symposium, University of California, San Diego, CA, May 2009.
“Perceptual Asynchronies, Differential Latencies and the Dynamics of Feature Computation in the
Human Visual System”, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, June 2007.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2013-present
Instructor, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
NSC 612 Selected Topics in Neuroscience I
NSC 510 Neuroscience in Sensory and Motor Systems
PSYC 220 Brain and Behavior
2003-2007
Teaching Assistant, University of Houston, Houston, TX
ECE 2100 Circuit Analysis Laboratory
ECE 2300 Circuit Analysis
ECE 3441 Digital Logic Design
ECE 3337 Electrical Engineering Analysis I
2002
Undergraduate Assistant, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
EE 210 Introduction to Electrical Engineering
ADVISING & MENTORING
2013-present
Advising, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
Graduate Students:
Utku Kaya, PhD Student, METU Cognitive Science
Cansu Ogulmus, MS Student, Bilkent Neuroscience
Zeynep Yildirim, MS Student, Bilkent Neuroscience
Undergraduate Students:
Nilsu Atilgan, Bilkent Psychology
Deniz Duman, Bilkent Psychology
Meltem Karaca, Bilkent Psychology
Merve Karacaoglu, Bilkent Psychology
Can Oluk, Bilkent Psychology
Sila Toker, Bilkent Psychology
2008-2013
Mentor, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
Graduate Students:
Marco Lopes, PhD student, Salk Institute and Universidade di Coimbra
Mike Jansen, MS Student, California State University
Neuroscience Interns:
Christopher Fernandez, UCSD STARS Program
Justin Klein, VCL at Salk Institute
Tina T. Tian, UCSD STARS Program
Brittani Vaillancourt, UCSD STARS Program
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OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2011
Consultant, Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological
Studies, La Jolla, CA
Consulting for pre-doc and post-doc researchers in scientific programming
2002
Electrical Engineering Intern, INSA-Istanbul Nylon Yarn Inc., Istanbul, Turkey
Designed and tested electrical and electronic devices used in the control unit
2002
Electrical Engineering Intern, KIPAS Textile Group, K.Maras, Turkey
Worked on configuration and development of a control system used for textile machines
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