Hugh R. Wilson

Hugh R. Wilson is the ORDCF Professor of Biological & Computational Vision at York University, holding joint appointments in the Departments of Biology, Psychology, Mathematics, and Computer Science. Previously, he held a professorship in Ophthalmology & Visual Science at the University of Chicago (1985–2000). His research focuses on psychophysics, visual network models, and nonlinear dynamics in neuroscience. Wilson is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and authored the influential book Spikes, Decisions & Actions: Dynamical Foundations of Neuroscience (Oxford University Press, 1999), which explores nonlinear systems in brain function.

His work spans experimental and theoretical domains, including studies on motion perception, face recognition, and cortical neuron modeling. Key projects include investigating global orientation pooling in visual area V4, dynamics of binocular rivalry, and neural mechanisms of migraine aura. His neural network models integrate physiology, anatomy, and psychophysical data to explain visual functions.

Wilson’s research has been published in journals like Vision Research, Nature, and Journal of Theoretical Biology. He has received grants for projects on visual adaptation, migraine-related visual phenomena, and developmental face perception. His lab at York University employs MATLAB simulations and fMRI techniques to study neural dynamics and visual processing across age groups and clinical populations.

He is also involved in educational initiatives, including developing computational tools for neuroscience education and mentoring early-career researchers in theoretical and experimental vision science.