Lighting the Path Forward

Assistant Professor Robert Alexander, Ph.D., is working with more than 20 undergraduate and graduate students on research projects that explore the connection between eye movement and perception, providing challenging experiences and empowering New York Tech students to light the path forward for themselves and others.

^{Assistant Professor Robert Alexander with students working in his lab. PHOTO: BOB HANDELMAN}

Moving constantly, even when we don’t realize it, our eyes gather visual information, helping us process the world around us. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. But no two people view or describe even black-and-white images in the same way.

Can we objectively measure how individuals perceive their environment? What insights are waiting to be discovered? Research teams at New York Tech are examining eye movement, searching for clues.

Alexander, an assistant professor of psychology and a cognitive neuroscientist specializing in vision research, joined New York Tech in 2023. His interest in psychology blossomed during his undergraduate studies. During his senior year
at Long Island University, Alexander discovered a passion for research and began pursuing a research career.

He later learned to use eye tracking to understand human psychology and behavior and has continued to use this approach. “I’ve been fascinated by the idea that through research we can precisely and accurately understand human psychology and behavior. With enough carefully measured outputs, we can plot and predict how a human will respond to an input,” he explains.

This article originally appeared in the fall 2024/winter 2025 issue of New York Institute of Technology Magazine.

By Denice Rackley