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Curriculum vitae Prof. Katja Dörschner-Boyaci, PhD

  • Education

    2002-2006 Ph.D. Experimental Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
    Thesis: Perception of Surface Color in Complex Three-Dimensional Scenes
    Advisor: Prof. Laurence T. Maloney
    2005 M.A. Psychology, New York University, USA
    2000-2002 B.A. Psychology, University of Rhode Island, USA

  • Academic and Professional Career

    Academic
    2020-current Professor of General Psychology and Visual Neurosciences, Department of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2016-2019 Associate Professor (tenured), Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, National Research Center for Magnetic Resonance & Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
    2014-2019 A.v.H. Kovalevskaja Award Research Group Leader, Department of Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2014-2015 Visiting Scholar, Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego, USA, Host: Assoc. Prof. Ayse Pinar Saygin
    2013 Associate Professor title awarded by the Council of Higher Education of Turkey, December 2013 (Prerequisite for any tenure position in Turkey, involves an examination by a committee of national experts in the relevant research area)
    2008-2016 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, and National Research Center for Magnetic Resonance (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara Turkey
    2006-2007 Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, USA, Advisor: Prof. Daniel Kersten
    Professional Experience
    1998-2000 Multimedia Designer, Fraunhofer Center for Research in Computer Graphics, Providence, USA
    1997-1998 Multimedia Designer, Zentrum Graphischer Datenverarbeitung, Rostock, Germany
    1994-1997 Graphic Designer, Vocational Training Graphik Design Schule, Anklam, Germany

  • Institutional Responsibilities

    2023-current Chair of the Internship Committee, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2022-current Member of the Directorate of the Giessen Graduate Center for Natural Sciences and Psychology (GGN), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2020-current Member of the Faculty Board, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2020-current Member of the Ethics Review Board, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2019 Organizer of the 13th Kurt-Koffka Award Ceremony, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    2012-2019 Member of the Ethics Review Board for undergraduate thesis research projects, Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
    2011-2014 Co-developer and founding member of the Graduate Program in Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
    2011-2014 Co-developer and founding member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

  • Commissions of Trust

    2014-2017 Journal Editor Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group
    2008-2014 Academic Mentor for Undergraduates, Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

  • Fellowships, Awards and Third Party Funding

    Awards & Fellowships
    2015 Research Award, Justus Liebig University Giessen
    2014 Sofia Kovalevskaja Award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
    2013 Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist Award (TUBA GEBIP, evaluated are a research proposal and research accomplishments)
    2012 The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey Young Scientist Encouragement Award (TUBITAK Tesvik Odulu, one of the most prestigious awards for young scientists in Turkey. The award was handed over by the Turkish president at the time: Abdullah Gül)
    2009 TUBITAK 7th Framework Participation Incentive Award (awarded to PIs of a EU grant)
    2006 Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship Award, New York University, USA (based on the thesis proposal, I declined because I graduated 1 year early)
    2005 Margaret and Herman Sokol Predoctoral Fellowship in the Sciences, New York University, USA (competitive, evaluated is a research proposal)
    2005 Katzell Summer Fellowship, New York University, USA (competitive, evaluated is a research proposal)
    2002-2006 McCracken Doctoral Fellowship, New York University, USA (non-competitive)
    2002 University of Rhode Islang President’s Award for Student Excellence, University of Rhode Island, USA (awarded for excellent academic performance)
    2001 Outstanding Contributions to Psychology Senior Award, University of Rhode Island, USA (awarded for excellent academic performance)
    Third-Party Funding
    2021-2025 Cluster project: The Adaptive Mind, funded by the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts (HMWK). One of 24 PIs Total Budget: 7,400,000 Euro (coordinator Karl Gegenfurtner, Justus Liebig University Giessen)
    2021-2024 DFG-CRC/TRR 135 'Cardinal mechanisms of perception'. PI Project B8, Budget: appr. 220,000 Euro (SFB coordinator Karl Gegenfurtner, Justus Liebig University Giessen)
    2017-2021 EU FP7 ’People’ Program: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks 2017, DyViTo: Dynamics in Vision and Touch - the look and feel of stuff, Partner Budget: 120,000 Euro, Total ITN Budget: 2,834,000 Euro (coordinator Marina Bloj, Bradford University)
    2014-2019 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Sofja Kovalevskaja Award), Project Title: Perceiving Material Qualities - Brain Mechanisms and Dynamics, Budget: 1,628,000 Euro
    2013-2017 TUBA GEBIP (Turkish Academy of Sciences Outstanding Young Scientist Award), approximately 28,000 Euro
    2012-2016 EU FP7 ’People’ Program: Marie Curie Initial Training Network 2012, PRISM: Perceptual Representation of Illumination, Shape and Materials, Partner Budget: 226,000 Euro, Total ITN Budget: 3,011,566 Euro (coordinator Roland Fleming, Justus Liebig University Giessen)
    2012-2015 TUBITAK 1001 Research Grant, Assessing structural and functional architecture of the human brain through investigating influences of genetically rooted central nervous system disorders, PI. Budget: 316,000 YTL (approximately 150,000 Euro)
    2009-2013 European Commission Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant, Visual Perception of Surface Material Properties - Computational and fMRI investigations of spatio- temporal cues to perceived shininess, PI. Budget: 100,000 Euro
    2009-2012 TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) 1001 Research Grant, Analysis of the influence of novel neurodevelopmental movement disorder mutations on the functional and structural organization of the visual and motor systems, Co-PI. Budget: 360,000 YTL (approximately 220,000 Euro)
    2009-2012 TUBITAK 1001 Research Grant, Assessing neural activity and functional connectivity in human cortex associated with contextual influences on visual perception, Co-PI. Budget: 330,000 YTL (approximately 200,000 Euro)

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