Laurence R. Harris

Laurence R. Harris is a Full Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at York University, Faculty of Science. He is actively engaged in research on human perception during movement and is eligible to supervise graduate students in the Biology Graduate Program, reflecting interdisciplinary work at the intersection of physics, neuroscience, and biology.

His research focuses on understanding how the brain integrates information from multiple senses—such as vision, vestibular input, touch, and hearing—to represent body position, orientation, and motion in space. Using virtual reality, electrical stimulation, underwater immersion, and sensory manipulation tools, his lab investigates perceptual mechanisms underlying self-motion, spatial orientation, and event timing. His work has strong implications for both fundamental neuroscience and practical applications in virtual environments and aging populations.

The recent publications (2020–2022) span high-impact journals like PLoS ONE, Scientific Reports, and Royal Society Open Science, demonstrating sustained contributions to the fields of perception and multisensory integration. Themes include body representation, age-related sensory decline, visual size and distance estimation, and motion perception during self-motion. These studies employ psychophysical methods and controlled sensory environments to isolate and analyze perceptual mechanisms.

Dr. Harris has not had scientific awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

He supervises graduate students through the Biology Graduate Program and conducts research involving grants and laboratory-based experimental work, though specific grant details are not listed. His lab uses advanced equipment for sensory stimulation and motion tracking, including VR systems, loudspeakers, vibrators, and motion platforms.

His laboratory focuses on experimental perception research, utilizing controlled sensory environments to manipulate and measure perceptual responses. The team investigates how altered sensory input affects body image, spatial orientation, and motion perception across the lifespan.