معرفی
Marc A. Sommer is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. He serves as Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and is also an Associate Professor in Neurobiology. Additionally, he is an Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, a Member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, and an Investigator in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.
Dr. Sommer earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1995. His academic journey has established him as a leading figure in the integration of neuroscience and engineering disciplines at Duke University.
Dr. Sommer's research program focuses on circuits for cognition, employing a combination of neurophysiology and biomedical engineering to investigate the interaction between brain areas during visual perception, decision-making, and motor planning. His laboratory conducts pioneering work on the role of frontal cortex in metacognition, cerebellar-frontal circuits in action timing, the neural basis of "good enough" decision-making (satisficing), and the neural mechanisms of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). His approach bridges fundamental neuroscience with practical applications in neural engineering and brain stimulation technologies.
Analysis of Dr. Sommer's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on understanding visual stability across saccadic eye movements, neural mechanisms of decision-making, and the application of advanced techniques like optogenetics and transcranial magnetic stimulation in nonhuman primates. His work spans multiple levels of analysis from single neuron recordings to computational modeling, with increasing focus on translational applications for understanding and treating neurological conditions.
Dr. Sommer has received numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to neuroscience and teaching:
- Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research from Pratt School of Engineering (2021)
- Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising from Pratt School of Engineering (2017)
- Bass Fellow at Duke University (2017)
- Research Fellowship in Neuroscience from Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (2005)
Dr. Sommer maintains an extensive research program with multiple active grants spanning from 2014 to 2029. His work includes projects on visual signaling, transcranial magnetic stimulation mechanisms, neural circuits for eye movements, and cognitive neuroscience. He teaches courses including Neuronal Control of Movement, Bioelectricity, and Introduction to Neural Engineering, and mentors students through independent study courses and research rotations. His laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, bringing together students and researchers from biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and psychology.
Dr. Sommer leads a dynamic research laboratory that employs sophisticated techniques including neurophysiology in nonhuman primates, optogenetics, computational modeling, and brain stimulation approaches. The lab collaborates extensively across Duke University and with other institutions, contributing significantly to the neuroscience community through both fundamental discoveries and translational applications.
