Brady R.T. Roberts

Brady R.T. Roberts

NSERC Postdoctoral Scholar

University of Chicago


My research investigates how visual design influences what we remember. I use behavioural experiments and deep neural networks to explore what makes an image memorable or forgettable. I then leverage those theoretical insights to engineer more effective warning symbols and more recognizable logos.

CV
Interests
  • The intrinsic memorability of visual design
  • Engineering memorable graphics with AI
  • Memory enhancement techniques
Education
  • PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, 2023

    University of Waterloo

  • MA in Cognitive Neuroscience, 2019

    University of Waterloo

  • Honours BA in Psychology, 2017

    University of Waterloo

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
University of Chicago
NSERC Postdoctoral Scholar
University of Chicago
September 2023 – Present Chicago, IL
  • Pioneered a novel research area connecting visual design and memory, with high applicability to brand logos and advertising
  • Leveraged big data analytics and AI models to reveal more effective, data-driven visual designs based on shape, meaning, and peoples’ real-time attention
  • Established a statistical approach that can detect changes in peoples’ attention in real time, allowing for the strategic presentation of memorable pictures depending on when they are most effective
  • Supervised an international study to understand whether very poor imagination ability leads to worse memory performance
 
 
 
 
 
University of Waterloo
Graduate Researcher
University of Waterloo
September 2017 – August 2023 Waterloo, ON
  • Spearheaded a new area of psychological research exploring how everyday visual symbols (e.g., !@#$%) and brand logos are processed in memory; resulted in 3 lead-author publications (including in a top-5 journal)
  • Led a review and meta-analysis evaluating the impact of actions on memory; synthesized research from 182 behavioural, neuroimaging, and patient studies spanning 40+ years; published findings in psychology’s highest impact journal (Psychological Bulletin)
  • Authored multiple project proposals; garnered $230,000+ in competitive funding from federal and provincial agencies
  • Designed and executed numerous research projects working with neurological patients and vast, crowd-sourced online data sets; produced 13 peer-reviewed publications (11 as lead-author) and 28 conference presentations
  • Mentored 9 research assistants and 4 honors thesis students; resulted in 2 publications and 2 undergraduate thesis awards
 
 
 
 
 
University of Waterloo
Course Instructor and Teaching Assistant
University of Waterloo
September 2017 – April 2023 Waterloo, ON
  • Directed 2 courses on brain and behaviour as well as memory research, yielding +95% passing rates, 5/5 scores from students’ evaluations of the learning environment, and favourable reviews of my presentation skills from expert observers
  • Elevated 15 university courses by implementing evidence-based teaching methods, including 6 business courses focused on entrepreneurship, practical business skills, and human resources management; received 94% positive student reviews
 
 
 
 
 
Waterloo Research in Aging Participants
Database Coordinator
Waterloo Research in Aging Participants
September 2017 – December 2023 Waterloo, ON
  • Managed a database of 400+ older adult volunteer participants from the local community; consulted 1-on-1 with university researchers to understand their data collection needs, cultivating 70+ scientific projects across 20+ research domains
  • Streamlined participant recruitment by conducting stakeholder interviews with volunteers to understand their experiences and desires; introduced an online recruitment process to improve efficiency, reducing intake from 2 hours to < 30 minutes

Publications

(2024). Brain regions supporting retrieval of words drawn at encoding: fMRI evidence for multimodal reactivation. Memory & Cognition.

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(2024). Face processing in ADHD: A review of the N170 event-related potential. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology.

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(2024). Memory augmentation with an adaptive cognitive interface. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

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(2024). Reading text aloud benefits memory but not comprehension. Memory & Cognition.

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(2024). Release from response interference in color-word contingency learning. Acta Psychologica.

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(2023). Memory for symbolic images: Findings from sports team logos. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition.

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(2023). On Memory for Everyday Symbols. Doctoral Dissertation.

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(2023). Symbol superiority: Why $ is better remembered than ‘dollar’. Cognition.

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(2022). Are emojis processed visuo-spatially or verbally? Evidence for dual codes. Visual Cognition.

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(2022). The enactment effect: A systematic review and meta-analysis of behavioral, neuroimaging, and patient studies. Psychological Bulletin.

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(2021). Drawing and memory: Using visual production to alleviate concreteness effects. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

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(2020). Drawing with your eyes: Comparable memory benefits for oculomotor and manual-motor drawing. Mind Pad.

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(2020). Re-evaluating whether bilateral eye movements influence memory retrieval. PLOS ONE.

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(2018). Task preparation as a mnemonic: The benefits of drawing (and not drawing). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

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Teaching

Teaching Assistant
  • PSYCH 101 (Fall 2017) - Introductory Psychology
  • PSYCH 101 (Winter 2018) - Introductory Psychology
  • HRM 200 (Spring 2018) - Basic Human Resources Management
  • PSYCH 291 (Fall 2018) - Basic Research Methods
  • PSYCH 292 (Winter 2019) - Basic Data Analysis
  • PSYCH 211 (Spring 2019) - Developmental Psychology
  • ARBUS 300 (Fall 2019) - Practical Business Skills
  • PSYCH 390 (Winter 2020) - Research in Memory
  • PSYCH 292 (Spring 2020) - Basic Data Analysis
  • PSYCH 461 (Fall 2020) - Case Studies in Neuropsychology
  • ARBUS 300 (Winter 2021) - Practical Business Skills
  • ARBUS 200 (Spring 2021) - Entrepreneurship Principles and Practices
  • ARBUS 300 (Fall 2021) - Practical Business Skills
  • ARBUS 200 (Spring 2022) - Entrepreneurship Principles and Practices
  • PSYCH 372 (Winter 2023) - Environmental Psychology

Course Instructor

Outside The Lab

Outside the lab, I love to travel and try new foods around the world. Motorcycle camping is my preferred method of exploration. After defending my PhD, I embarked on a 6-week solo motorcycle trip to Alaska, venturing as far north as the Arctic Circle.