Ralf Haefner

I’m interested in how to make sense of the world, in how the brain makes sense of the world, and how to make sense of the brain. I believe a key piece of these puzzles is the notion of uncertainty, which motivates my main research interest: how do networks of neurons represent and compute with probabilities. To that end, I’m interested in models of the brain’s computations, and in how to test them using psychophysical and neurophysiological data.

I wasn’t always interested in the brain, but have arrived at this point via a few turns and d-tours listed below:

2022 - current: Associate Professor, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester (NY)

2014 - 2022: Assistant Professor, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester (NY)
Secondary appointments in Physics & Astronomy, Computer Science
Member of Center for Visual Science (CVS) and Data Science Institute

2013 - 2014: Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School: Visiting Research Fellow
Sponsor: Rick Born

2011 - 2014: Sloan-Swartz Center for Theoretical Neurobiology, Brandeis University: Swartz Fellow
Advisors: Jozsef Fiser, Steve van Hooser

2009 - 2011: Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics: Postdoc
Advisor: Matthias Bethge

2004 - 2009: Laboratory for Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute: Postdoc
Advisor: Bruce Cumming

2002 - 2003: McKinsey & Co: Associate

1999 - 2001: Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University: MPA (McCloy Scholar)

1995 - 1999: Department for Theoretical Physics, Oxford University: D.Phil
Advisors: James Binney, Wyn Evans

1994 - 1995: Christ Church, Oxford University: Visiting Student (Physics)

1992 - 1994: Bonn University: Undergraduate studies
Majors: Mathematics, Physics