Spencer Castro

Dr. Spencer Castro is an Assistant Professor in Management of Complex Systems at UC Merced, investigating cognitive aspects of human-machine systems. His research program integrates human factors, neuroscience, and visualization to address challenges in:

• Cognitive workload measurement during multitasking
• Neural correlates of environmental exposure
• Visualization design for complex information
• Human-automation interaction in driving contexts

Methodologically, he employs neurophysiological measures (EEG), virtual reality, and behavioral experiments. Recent studies examine how natural environments influence reward processing and attention, design principles for uncertainty visualization, and cognitive costs of intermittent multitasking. Applied work includes VR evacuation training for wildfires and COVID-19 forecast communication.