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14 February 2020
The Optical Society Names Wilson Geisler the 2020 Edgar D. Tillyer Award Recipient
Researcher honored for work to enhance our understanding of eye movement
WASHINGTON—The Optical Society (OSA) is pleased to name Wilson Geisler, University of Texas at Austin, USA the 2020 Edgar D. Tillyer Award winner. Geisler is honored for pioneering theories of optimal visual processing that bring together scene statistics, physiological constraints, and task requirements to gain a new understanding of perceptual functions and eye movements.
“Significant advances in vision research including the optics of the visual system can be attributed to the work of Wilson Geisler,” said 2020 OSA President Stephen D. Fantone, founder and president of the Optikos Corporation. “Wilson’s pioneering theories have broadened our knowledge of visual perception and perceptual neuroscience.”
Wilson (Bill) Geisler obtained an undergraduate degree in psychology from Stanford University, USA and a doctoral degree in mathematical and experimental psychology from Indiana University, USA. Geisler is currently the David Wechsler Regents Chair in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a Fellow of OSA and the Society of Experimental Psychologists, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Geisler’s research combines behavioral studies, neurophysiological studies, studies of natural stimuli, mathematical analysis, and computational modeling. He is best known for his work on the mathematics of how to perform perceptual tasks optimally (“ideal observer theory”), on the relationship between the statistical properties of natural stimuli and visual performance, on the nature of eye movements in natural tasks, and on the relationship between visual performance and the neurophysiology of the visual system.
Established in 1953, the Edgar D. Tillyer Award is presented to an individual who has performed distinguished work in the field of vision, including but not limited to the optics, physiology, anatomy or psychology of the visual system. The award is endowed by the American Optical Company.
About The Optical Society
The Optical Society (OSA) is dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving, and dissemination of knowledge in optics and photonics worldwide. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students, and others interested in the science of light. OSA’s renowned publications, meetings, online resources, and in-person activities fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate scientific, technical, and educational achievement.
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