Rate My Professor William Newsome

Newsome's research investigates the neuronal processes mediating visual perception and visually guided behavior through behavioral, electrophysiological, and computational approaches in nonhuman primates, with a focus on cortical area MT and decision-making mechanisms. Landmark publications include 'Neuronal correlates of a perceptual decision' (Newsome, Britten, Movshon, Nature, 1989), 'Cortical microstimulation influences perceptual judgements of motion direction' (Salzman, Britten, Newsome, Nature, 1990), 'The variable discharge of cortical neurons: Implications for connectivity, computation, and information coding' (Shadlen, Newsome, Journal of Neuroscience, 1998), and recent works such as 'Decoding and perturbing decision states in real time' (Peixoto et al., Nature, 2021) and 'Remote, brain region-specific control of choice behavior with ultrasonic waves' (Kubanek et al., Science Advances, 2020). His contributions have profoundly influenced systems and cognitive neuroscience. Honors include election to the National Academy of Sciences (2000), American Philosophical Society (2011), and American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2017); the Champalimaud Vision Award (2010), Dan David Prize (2004), Karl Spencer Lashley Award (2010), Rank Prize in Optoelectronics (1992), and Golden Brain Award (1992). Newsome co-chaired the NIH BRAIN working group and has delivered distinguished lectures including the Marr Lecture at the University of Cambridge and the Brenda Milner Lecture at McGill University.