معرفی
Dr. Michael McBeath is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University (ASU) and holds adjunct faculty roles in Kinesiology, Neuroscience, Life Sciences, Animal Behavior, Electrical Engineering, and the School of Arts, Media, & Engineering. His interdisciplinary research bridges Psychology, Engineering, and Perception-Action, focusing on computational modeling of perception-action in dynamic environments. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Electrical Engineering from Brown University, a Master’s in Instrumentation from the University of California, and a Doctoral degree in Psychology from Stanford University with a minor in Electrical Engineering.
His research explores ecologically-based Natural Regularities and perceptual biases that underpin aesthetic preferences, including 3-D symmetry, canonical object views, and auditory patterns. Notable projects include studies on baseball interception strategies, animal behavior (e.g., dogs catching Frisbees), and autonomous robots. His work has been funded by the Interval Corporation, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, and Global Sports Institute. Key publications include a Science article on baseball navigation and a robot design highlighted by the New York Times Magazine.
McBeath co-organizes the ASU SAMBA research group (Science of Art, Music, and Brain Activity) and has held roles at NASA Ames and Interval Corporation. His research integrates robotics, music cognition, multisensory perception, and evolutionary behavior, with a playful sideline in harmonica performance.
