معرفی
Preston P. Thakral is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Smith College, where he teaches courses in memory, cognitive neuroscience, and research methods. He serves as the Principal Investigator of the Neuroscience of Memory and Flexible Cognition Laboratory, conducting cutting-edge research on the neural mechanisms underlying episodic memory and its relationship to other cognitive processes.
Dr. Thakral earned his Ph.D. in psychology and neuroscience from Boston College, where he also completed his M.A. and B.A. His academic journey included postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard University (working with Dr. Daniel Schacter) and the University of Texas at Dallas (working with Dr. Michael Rugg), followed by a position as Director of the Human Neuroscience Laboratory at Boston College before joining Smith College.
His research program takes an adaptive perspective on episodic memory, investigating how the constructive nature of memory that makes it prone to error also serves beneficial roles in flexible cognition. His work demonstrates that memory processes involved in remembering past events are also engaged in helpful ways during imagination, creative thinking, and problem solving. This perspective challenges traditional views of memory errors as purely maladaptive, instead framing them as byproducts of a flexible system that supports broader cognitive functions.
Dr. Thakral's publications reveal a consistent research trajectory examining the links between memory distortion and creative cognition, with recent work focusing on neural mechanisms using fMRI meta-analyses and examining how memory processes contribute to everyday problem solving. His research employs a multi-method approach including functional neuroimaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and event-related potentials to build comprehensive models of memory function.
As a mentor and educator, Dr. Thakral guides undergraduate research in his laboratory while teaching foundational courses in psychology. His research has been supported by National Institutes of Health funding, including grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and National Institute on Aging.
The Neuroscience of Memory and Flexible Cognition Laboratory employs three primary cognitive neuroscience techniques: fMRI for spatial resolution, ERPs for temporal resolution, and TMS for causal manipulation. This multi-method approach allows the lab to create comprehensive models of episodic memory function that account for insights from both correlational and manipulative methods, providing convergent evidence for theories of memory function.
