Our lives are replete with distractions. Some are external, like the boisterous laughter of children at play, the flicker of a television screen, or the enticing aroma of a freshly prepared meal. Others arise from within, such as daydreaming about a beach getaway or the compulsion to scroll through just one more TikTok video. Think about the effort it demands when attempting to draft a critical document amidst this barrage of diversions. How do we harness the power of focus to achieve our goals?

Focus requires cognitive control, a crucial suite of important cognitive functions. Our lab investigates the neural bases of cognitive control. A long-term goal is to understand how cognitive control arises from neural processing at the psychological and physiological levels. This understanding will elucidate the mechanisms that drive flexible and generalizable goal-directed behaviors, informing how we learn things and make decisions. We will leverage this knowledge to improve brain-computer interfaces and our ability to focus through neuromodulation. Our methodologies include mathematical modeling, concurrent EEG/MEG recording, and intracranial electrophysiology in humans to gain insights into the geometry of neural coding.