Iona McLean

WHERE I'M FROM

I am originally from Washington DC.

BEFORE VS

I earned my undergraduate degree at Colgate University in Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy. During my undergraduate degree I conducted research in a visual perception lab at Colgate University and in a Hearing Science lab at the University of Maryland.

WHY I’M HERE

As an undergraduate at Colgate University, I developed a fascination with how the visual system represents the world. I followed my interest in sensory research to the Hearing Brain Lab at the University of Maryland where I worked closely with participants with cochlear implants. I saw firsthand how technology improved the lives of those with hearing deficits. I pursued a PhD in Vision Science at Berkeley to combine my passion for vision science with my desire to improve the lives of those with sensory impairments. The Berkeley Vision Science Program’s expert faculty and interdisciplinary research offers the perfect setting to explore my interests.

MY RESEARCH

I hope to conduct research that will expand our knowledge of the visual system in order to develop ways to improve the lives of those who are visually impaired.

MY GOALS

I believe that a large part of scientific research is asking good questions. I hope to develop my ability to identify research questions that will lead to meaningful discoveries. I also want to learn how to answer these questions using computational methods.

MY HOBBIES

I enjoy singing, hiking, and traveling.