Francesco Pavani

Francesco Pavani serves as Full Professor of Experimental Psychology and Deputy Dean at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC) at the University of Trento, where he also holds the Rector’s delegate position for coordinating PhD programs university-wide. His academic leadership spans roles as Head of the PhD School in Cognitive and Brain Sciences (2013–2019) and international affiliations including associate membership at Lyon’s Centre de Recherche en Neuroscience. Pavani’s research bridges cognitive neuroscience, deafness studies, and multisensory perception with translational applications for cochlear implant users.

Education

• Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Bologna (2000; Supervisor: Elisabetta Làdavas)
• Master equivalent degree (Laurea Magistrale) in Psychology, University of Bologna (1995)
• Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London (1998; Supervisor: Jon Driver)
• Visitor Scholar, Center for Neural Engineering, University of Southern California (1994; Supervisor: Michael A. Arbib)

Research Focus

Pavani investigates multisensory perception and attention mechanisms in typical and atypical populations, with emphasis on deafness, cochlear implantation, and neural plasticity. His work integrates psychophysics, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging to dissect how auditory, visual, and motor systems interact during spatial processing, language comprehension, and metacognitive judgments. Current projects examine spatial hearing rehabilitation through virtual reality, metacognitive aspects of listening effort, and the impact of face masks on communication for deaf individuals—addressing critical gaps in inclusive healthcare and education.

Publication Trends

His 2024–2025 publications reveal three dominant threads: (1) metacognitive dimensions of hearing (e.g., confidence in spatial judgments, effort tracking during speech-in-noise), (2) neural plasticity in cochlear implant users across ages, and (3) real-world communication barriers like face masks. Methodologically, he pioneers active listening paradigms where motor actions (reaching, postural adjustments) modulate auditory perception—highlighting embodiment’s role in sensory rehabilitation. Over 70% of recent work involves multicentric collaborations, emphasizing clinical translation.

Scientific Recognition

• Giulio Tarra Award for Deafness Research (Pio Istituto dei Sordi di Milano, 2019)
• Prix Médisite en Neurosciences (Fondation de France, 2016)
• Chaire CIC-Cerveau et Santé Mentale (Fondation Neurodis, Lyon, 2015)
• Travel Fellowship, EuroConference on Spatial Neglect (2000)
• Premio Giovani Ricercatori, Italian Psychology Association (1997)

Mentorship and Collaborations

As leader of the Cognition Across the Senses (CAtS) research group, Pavani mentors postdocs, PhD candidates, and master’s students in projects spanning basic science (e.g., neural mechanisms of multisensory integration) to applied outcomes (e.g., VR spatial hearing training). His €2M+ grant portfolio includes European Marie Curie Fellowships and French-Italian collaborations like the CRNL partnership. He actively shapes policy as Rector’s delegate for PhD programs and previously coordinated university-wide student recruitment.

Research Infrastructure

The CAtS group operates within CIMeC’s state-of-the-art facilities, utilizing motion capture systems, eye-tracking, EEG, and custom virtual reality setups (e.g., SPHERE platform for 3D sound localization). Their work directly informs clinical tools like spatial auditory mapping devices (patented in 2024) and sign language accessibility protocols. Current initiatives focus on translating metacognitive training into rehabilitation apps for cochlear implant users and developing inclusive communication standards for healthcare settings post-pandemic.