Frank Tong is a Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University in the College of Arts and Science. He leads an active research laboratory investigating the neural mechanisms of human visual perception, cognition, attention, and working memory. His work integrates behavioral experiments, high-resolution fMRI, and computational modeling to decode how visual information is represented and maintained in the brain. Department: Department of Psychology Office: Wilson Hall, Room 531 Email: frank.tong@vanderbilt.edu Phone: 615-322-1780 Education: B.S. in Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada (Advisor: Barrie Frost) Ph.D. in Psychology, Harvard University (Advisors: Ken Nakayama, Nancy Kanwisher) Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA (McDonnell-Pew Fellowship, Advisor: Steve Engel) Frank Tong's research centers on understanding how early visual representations interact with higher cognitive functions such as attention and working memory. He has developed pioneering fMRI decoding methods to reconstruct visual features like orientation and object categories from brain activity patterns in the human visual cortex. His lab has demonstrated how these techniques can reveal the neural bases of visual working memory and object-based attentional selection. Current work includes using deep convolutional neural networks as models of human visual processing. His recent publications show a consistent focus on decoding mental states, visual features, and memory contents from brain activity, particularly using fMRI pattern analysis. The research spans visual working memory, attentional modulation, scene perception, and the application of machine learning to neural data. These studies frequently appear in top journals such as Nature , Nature Neuroscience , and Annual Review of Psychology . Scientific Awards: McDonnell-Pew Training Fellowship (1999) Robert K. Root Preceptorship, Princeton (2003) Scientific American Top 50 Award (2004) Young Investigator Award, Cognitive Neuroscience Society (2006) Chancellor's Award for Research, Vanderbilt (2008) Young Investigator Award, Vision Sciences Society (2009) Troland Research Award, National Academy of Sciences Frank Tong has advised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have gone on to successful academic and research careers. His lab has received significant research funding to support its work in cognitive neuroscience and brain imaging. He has also served on the editorial board of the Annual Review of Psychology and as a board member of the Vision Sciences Society, reflecting his leadership in the field. He teaches undergraduate courses including Psy 3760 (Mind and Brain), Psy 3765 (Social Cognition and Neuroscience), and Psy 3780 (The Visual System). His lab continues to explore the interplay between early visual processing and higher cognition using advanced neuroimaging and computational techniques.
