-Eric Hodgson, PhD-

Miami University Department of Psychology and Interactive Media Studies Program Oxford, OH 45056 Voice: 513.593.9804 Fax: 513.529.2420 (psych office) Eric.Hodgsonmuohio.edu www.users.muohio.edu/hodgsoep
(Last Updated: Feb 08, 2012 )

Research Interests

My primary research relates to human spatial ability, including spatial memory, perception, reference frames, landmark use, and navigation. Because this work often includes the construction and use of virtual environments for people to navigate within, I also conduct applied research related to immersive virtual reality and motion tracking. Most recently, this work has involved developing Redirected Walking techniques (see Razzaque, et al. 2005) to expand the navigavible area availaible for simulations.

I am committed to interdisciplinary research and scholarship, and I maintain active collaborations with colleagues in several different departments and colleges at Miami University, including computer science, education, business, architecture, and psychology.

Groups that I'm affiliated with...

• HIVE: Research Lab investigating large-scale navigation, spatial cognition, and virtual reality technology (Miami University; 2005-present)
• Spacelab: Research Lab devoted to the study of human spatial cognition. (Miami University; 2003-present)
• Armstrong Institue for Interactive Media Studies: (Miami University; 2003-present)

Teaching Interests

Spatial cognition, navigation, wayfinding, general cognition, memory, perception, statistics, research methods, human-computer interaction, virtual reality, computer programming, 3D modeling, motion capture, interactive graphics, non-photorealistic rendering

Professional Experience

2009 - Present: Director, Smale Interactive Visualization Center -- a research center under the Armstrong Institute of Interactive Media Studies.

2008 - Present: Postdoctoral Fellow at Miami University working in the HIVE (Huge Immersive Virtual Environment) lab and as the lab's coordinator for interdisciplinary virtual reality research.

2003 – 2008:  Various graduate student research assistantships investigating spatial cognition in the SpaceLab and HIVE (Huge Immersive Virtual Environment) at Miami University

2006 Fall:  Instructor for Research Methods laboratory course

2005 Summer:  Assistantship to help install and establish the HIVE (Huge Immersive Virtual Environment) laboratory at Miami University

2004 Fall:  Teaching assistant in Statistics; Instructor in Statistics laboratory course

Education

2008 - PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Miami University, Oxford, OH.  Advisor: Prof. David Waller.

2005 - MA in Psychology from Miami University, Oxford, OH

2003 - BA in Psychology (Summa Cum Laude; Minor in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design) from Malone College, Canton, OH

Academic Honors & Awards

2007-2008: Dissertation Scholar for the Department of Psychology, Miami University, Oxford, OH

2007: Patrick J. Capretta Memorial Scholarship for Research Excellence, Psychology Department, Miami University, Oxford, OH

2006: Graduate Student Achievement Award from Miami University

2005: Letter of Commendation from the Psychology Department, Miami University, Oxford, OH

2004: Letter of Commendation from the Psychology Department, Miami University, Oxford, OH

2003:  Outstanding Senior Award in Psycholgy; Malone College, Canton, OH

1999-2003:  Dean's List; Malone College, Canton, OH

1999:  Valedictorian, Salem High School, Salem, OH

Publications

Brunye, T. T., Gagnon, S. A., Waller, D., Hodgson, E., Tower-Richardi, S., & Taylor, H. A. (in press). Up north and down south: Implicit associations between topography and cardinal direction. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Bachmann, E., Calusdian, J., Hodgson, E., & Yun, X. (2012). A heading drift correction method for human position tracking using foot-mounted inertial/magnetic sensors. Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Saint Paul, MN. USA.

Hodgson, E., Bachmann, E., & Waller, D. (2011). Steering immersed users of virtual environments: Assessing the potential for spatial interference. ACM: Transactions on Applied Perception, 8, 1-22.

Friedman, A., Waller, D., Greenauer, N., & Hodgson, E. (2011). View combination: A generalization mechanism for visual recognition of objects, scenes, and two-dimensional visual arrays. Cognition, 119, 229-241.

Waller, D., Friedman, A., Hodgson, E. & Greenauer, N. (2009). Learning scenes from multiple views: Novel views can be recognized more efficiently than learned views. Memory & Cognition, 37, 90-99.

Hodgson, E. (2008). The interaction of transient and enduring spatial representations: Using visual cues to maintain perceptual engagement. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA.

Hodgson, E. (2007). The capacity limit of online spatial updating. Manuscript in preparation.

Waller, D., Bachmann, E., Hodgson, E., & Beall, A. C. (2007). The HIVE: A huge immersive virtual environment for research in spatial cognition. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 835-843.

Hodgson, E., & Waller, D. (2006). Lack of set size effects in spatial updating: Evidence for offline updating: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 32, 854-866.

Waller, D., & Hodgson, E. (2006). Transient and enduring spatial representations under disorientation and self-rotation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 32, 867-882.

Hodgson, E. (2005). Spatial updating and set size: evidence for long-term memory reconstruction. Unpublished master's thesis, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA.

Invited Talks & Presentations

Hodgson, E., & IMS 390.v Class (2010, October). 3D Virtual Reality Mandala. Computer Simulation presented to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Oxford, OH, USA.

Hodgson, E., Waller, D., & Bachmann, E. (2010, April). Redirected walking during unconstrained navigation. Paper presented to the Tri-state Chpater of the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society. Oxford, OH, USA.

Hodgson, E., Waller, D., & Bachmann, E. (2009, November). Redirected walking during unconstrained navigation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Computers in Psychology. Boston, MA, USA.

Hodgson, E., Waller, D., Greenauer, N., & Mello, C. (2008, November). Remaining oriented with abstract or intermittent visual information. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL, USA.

Hodgson, E. & Waller, D. (2007, November).  Capacity limits of spatial updating:  Online and offline updating.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Long Beach, CA, USA.

Hodgson, E. & Waller, D. (2006). Set size effects in spatial updating: Online and offline updating. Paper presented at the annual meeting of Hoosier Mental Life, Bloomington, IN, USA.

Waller, D. & Hodgson, E. (2005). Human spatial representation: Egocentric Updating and Cognitive Maps. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2004 – 2008: Five talks and poster presentations at Psychology department cognitive lecture series, Miami University, Oxford, OH

2005, Nov.:  Guest speaker for the Department of Psychology's Alumni Chapel at Malone College, Canton, OH

Hodgson, E. & Waller, D. (2004, November). Capacity limits in spatial updating. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

2002, Dec.:  “Memory and Learning.” Guest speaker for 7th and 8th grade language arts classes at United Junior High School, Salem, OH.

Service

2003 – Present:  Volunteer work for Angel Tree (organization providing Christmas presents to children of incarcerated parents), Butler County, OH

2003-2005: Judge for Ross High School’s fall and spring science fairs, Ross, OH

2001-2003: Governing board of the Malone College Psychology Club, Malone College, Canton, OH

2002:  Volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity (construction), Canton, OH

Personal References
        Available upon Request