Biography

Jessica Heeman is taking part in the Cognitive Neuroscience track of the Master Neuroscience and Cognition. She recieved her Bachelor's degree with honor in Cognitive Artificial Intelligence in 2012 with a thesis on saccade averaging. As part of her master she will do two research projects. She finished her first research project under the supervision of Stefan Van der Stigchel in December 2012. During this project she designed and piloted an experimental setup for eye tracking experiments investigating audiovisual integration. In January 2013 she started her second research project with Bas Neggers. This project will involve optimizing eye tracking combined with 7 Tesla fMRI in order to investigate cortico-cerebellar connections and the role of the cerebellum in executive functions such as rule learning.

Research Interests

Eye movements, neuroimaging, applied psychology

Projects

• Eye tracking at 7 Tesla: The role of the cerebellum in executive control
• Top-down versus bottom-up in saccade averaging
• Audiovisual integration: The influence of distractor location on saccade metrics

Publications

• J. Heeman (2013). Audiovisual intergration: distractor location modulates integration. Major research project, Master Neuroscience and Cognition, Utrecht University.
• S. Van der Stigchel, J. Heeman, T. Nijboer (2012). Averaging is not everything: The global effect weakens with increasing stimulus size. Vision Research 62:108–115.
• J. Heeman (2012). Audiovisual integration in saccade mapping. Mind the Brain symposium, Master Neuroscience and Cognition, Utrecht University.
• J. Heeman (2011). Global Effect for Numbers: The Influence of Physical Magnitude and Numerical Magnitude on Saccadic Landing Position. Bachelor Thesis Cognitive Artificial Intelligence, 2011, Utrecht University.