David Melcher

David Melcher is Professor of Psychology and Program Head in Psychology at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), where he also serves as a Global Network Professor. He is affiliated with the Division of Science and leads the Perception and Active Cognition Lab, focusing on the integration of perception, attention, memory, and action within a cognitive neuroscience framework.

• PhD in Psychology and Cognitive Science, Rutgers University (2001)
• Former researcher and professor in Italy and the UK
• Current leadership: Program Head, Psychology, NYUAD

David Melcher's research centers on cognitive neuroscience, particularly how perception, attention, working memory, eye movements, and self-motion interact to shape cognition and behavior. His lab emphasizes active cognition—the idea that perception is not passive but dynamically shaped by action, context, and goals. He investigates how temporal dynamics in neural processing organize perceptual experiences and guide decision-making. His work spans both healthy and clinical populations, exploring individual differences in spatial and temporal processing across the lifespan.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a consistent focus on temporal organization in cognition, perception-action coupling, and neural mechanisms of attention and memory. Keywords across these works include cognitive neuroscience, perception, and neuroimaging, with subfields ranging from eye movement research and neural synchrony to computational modeling and clinical neuropsychology. Collectively, they demonstrate a trajectory toward integrative models of brain function that bridge behavioral, neuroimaging, and computational approaches.

Among his notable recognitions is the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology from the American Psychological Association (2011), highlighting the early impact of his work in cognitive neuroscience.

• Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology, APA (2011)

David Melcher has advised numerous students through capstone projects in psychology and computer science, fostering interdisciplinary research at the intersection of cognitive science and technology. His research has been generously supported by major funding agencies including the European Research Council, the US National Institutes of Health, the Italian Ministry of Research and Education, and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Expert Affairs. He also contributes to the academic community as a member of the editorial boards of Journal of Vision, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, Perception, and iPerception.

He leads the Perception and Active Cognition Lab at NYUAD, which employs a multidisciplinary approach combining behavioral experiments, neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG, MEG), eye-tracking, computational modeling, and clinical assessments. The lab’s research aims to understand how the brain constructs stable percepts from dynamic sensory input, particularly during active engagement with the environment.