Oliver Baumann

Biography

 Dr Baumann obtained his Diploma (MSc) in Psychology from the University of Oldenburg (Germany) in 2003 and his PhD from the University of Regensburg (Germany) in 2006. His doctoral thesis investigated the neural correlates of audio-visual motion perception and the role of the neocerebellum in eye movements. He spent one year as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oslo (Norway) investigating the neural correlates of perceptual memory. Thereafter he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Glasgow on the perception of voice identity. He is currently employed as a research fellow at the Queensland Brain Institute in Prof. Jason Mattingley's Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory.

Research Interest

 Dr Baumann’s research focuses on how humans use and process visual landmarks for navigating successfully through a novel environment. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the fundamental properties of objects as landmarks, the cognitive processes involved in the identification and storage of these landmarks, and their ultimate effect on human navigation. In addition to his research in human navigation Dr Baumann is also leading a research project to investigate the role of the human cerebellum in non-motor processes, using neuroimaging to characterize cerebellar involvement in fundamental perceptual, cognitive, and emotional functions. The outcome of this research will provide novel insights into the functioning of this hitherto largely overlooked brain structure and will enhance our understanding of a range of cognitive and emotional deficits in disorders that have been linked to cerebellar dysfunction, including schizophrenia, autism and depression.