BC support advances UBC Psychology research and innovation.
Congratulations to Dr. Amori Mikami and Dr. Joan Ongchoco who received funding through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF). This Government of BC investment supports post-secondary research infrastructure and fosters innovation in our province.
Dr. Mikami, a professor in UBC’s department of psychology, received this funding as part of her recent Canada Research Chair appointment to support the research project Encouraging Peers’ Social Inclusion of Children with ADHD. This project will focus on enhancing research capacity to study social inclusion and peer relationships, with implications for child development, education, and mental health.
Dr. Ongchoco, an assistant professor in UBC’s department of psychology, received this funding to support the research project An Integrative Approach towards Understanding Intelligence: Bridging the ‘Seeing’ versus ‘Thinking’ Divide. This project will focus on developing advanced research infrastructure to explore how perception and cognition interact—advancing foundational knowledge of human intelligence.
“Conversations on the nature of intelligence have become not only ubiquitous but also critical, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence. But any progress in understanding artificial intelligence must be grounded in our understanding of human intelligence. My laboratory’s main approach involves bridging the gap between arguably the two core facets of (human) intelligence: perception (how we go from a wash of light or sound to seeing and recognizing objects or events) and cognition (how we think, reason, make decisions, and act in the world). These two facets of intelligence sit at opposite ends of theoretical and sociological divides,” says Dr. Ongchoco.
“Theoretically, ongoing debates involve the limits on how much perception and cognition interact. Sociologically, perception and cognition themselves are often studied in entirely different classes, journals, and conferences. The funding will support the creation of a space that will bring together students across areas of cognitive science to explore how we move from seeing, thinking, to feeling, and back.”
The BCKDF supports the development of research infrastructure, like labs and equipment. The funding fosters innovation and helps institutions collaborate with industry. By investing in research infrastructure, the BC government is continuing to support post-secondary institutions to build a more innovative, sustainable and inclusive future.
