I am a PhD candidate in MIT's department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences advised jointly by Prof. Ila Fiete and Prof. Josh Tenenbaum. I am interested in exploring the computational and theoretical principles underlying higher level cognition and intelligence in the human brain.
I use mathematical tools to study how the brain helps us navigate the world. It’s fascinating that the same brain regions that help us navigate through a city, can also help us infer relationships in family trees and social hierarchies. The brain continuously computes the body’s position in space and makes adjustments to that estimate as we move about. I am particularly interested in how the brain extrapolates information from one spatial environment to navigate new and different environments.
Our ability to navigate a labyrinth, for example, depends on a so-called “cognitive map,” or a mental representation of our physical environment. I study how this map is learned and organized in the brain so that we can quickly and efficiently find our way in the physical — and social — world.
My previous work includes building a neural model of context dependent decision making in the prefrontal cortex that performs input selection and integration as a nonlinear recurrent dynamical process. In other work, I built a spiking neural bayesian model of life span inference that addresses the issue of representing probability distributions using neural circuits, and combining them in meaningful ways to perform inference (based on online learning of priors from life experience). I am currently exploring the coding principles in the hippocampal circuits implicated in spatial navigation, and their role in cognitive computations like structure learning and relational reasoning.
Before joining the Fiete / Tenenbaum lab, I was at the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of Waterloo (UW) where I completed my MASc with Dr. Chris Eliasmith, studying Systems Design Engineering and Theoretical Neuroscience. Before that, I studied Electrical Engineering during my Undergrad at UW, with a minor in Management Engineering.
In general, I am highly interested in exploring the fundamental questions pertaining to the world which we do not have the answers to. Some examples are: how do we infer things? What enables us to understand or learn? How do we recognize things we have encountered before? In short, the mystery of how our brain works! Another set of questions that fascinate me are: how did our universe originate? how big is the universe? Is there more life out there (I think there probably is)? In short, my love for the universe!
Interests:
Computational Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Hobbies:
- Enjoy Watching TED Talks, Reading research papers, watching videos on Artificial intelligence, Quantum Physics, Brain and Universe!
- Working of Brain - I believe that the answers to the fundamental questions can trigger significant advancements in technology (potentially enabling us to build intelligent machines) as well as the field of health and medicine.
- I also enjoy singing and dancing, love running, biking and hiking and practice yoga & meditation.
- I have been involved in volunteering, mentoring and tutoring within as well as outside of the university and have always loved doing it.
linkedin: ca.linkedin.com/in/sugandhasharma17/
I use mathematical tools to study how the brain helps us navigate the world. It’s fascinating that the same brain regions that help us navigate through a city, can also help us infer relationships in family trees and social hierarchies. The brain continuously computes the body’s position in space and makes adjustments to that estimate as we move about. I am particularly interested in how the brain extrapolates information from one spatial environment to navigate new and different environments.
Our ability to navigate a labyrinth, for example, depends on a so-called “cognitive map,” or a mental representation of our physical environment. I study how this map is learned and organized in the brain so that we can quickly and efficiently find our way in the physical — and social — world.
My previous work includes building a neural model of context dependent decision making in the prefrontal cortex that performs input selection and integration as a nonlinear recurrent dynamical process. In other work, I built a spiking neural bayesian model of life span inference that addresses the issue of representing probability distributions using neural circuits, and combining them in meaningful ways to perform inference (based on online learning of priors from life experience). I am currently exploring the coding principles in the hippocampal circuits implicated in spatial navigation, and their role in cognitive computations like structure learning and relational reasoning.
Before joining the Fiete / Tenenbaum lab, I was at the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of Waterloo (UW) where I completed my MASc with Dr. Chris Eliasmith, studying Systems Design Engineering and Theoretical Neuroscience. Before that, I studied Electrical Engineering during my Undergrad at UW, with a minor in Management Engineering.
In general, I am highly interested in exploring the fundamental questions pertaining to the world which we do not have the answers to. Some examples are: how do we infer things? What enables us to understand or learn? How do we recognize things we have encountered before? In short, the mystery of how our brain works! Another set of questions that fascinate me are: how did our universe originate? how big is the universe? Is there more life out there (I think there probably is)? In short, my love for the universe!
Interests:
Computational Neuroscience
Artificial Intelligence
Hobbies:
- Enjoy Watching TED Talks, Reading research papers, watching videos on Artificial intelligence, Quantum Physics, Brain and Universe!
- Working of Brain - I believe that the answers to the fundamental questions can trigger significant advancements in technology (potentially enabling us to build intelligent machines) as well as the field of health and medicine.
- I also enjoy singing and dancing, love running, biking and hiking and practice yoga & meditation.
- I have been involved in volunteering, mentoring and tutoring within as well as outside of the university and have always loved doing it.
linkedin: ca.linkedin.com/in/sugandhasharma17/
