Steven Lehar CV

Steven Lehar Ph.D.

PROFILE

An energetic and enthusiastic visionary with a fresh new approach to old problems in perception. My work is characterized by a series of novel and unique proposals on perception and brain function. I am a natural born teacher, I have a talent for expressing complex concepts in simple intuitive terms.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1996 - 1997 Salem State College, Salem MA. Dept of Psychology

Taught fall and spring semesters, four sections each semester, including courses in general psychology, cognitive psychology, sensation and perception, and neuropsychology. Enrollment 10 - 30 undergraduate students in each section. Designed curriculum, prepared and presented lectures and exams, graded exams.

Spring 1995 Boston University, Boston MA. Dept. of Psychology

Taught PS-222 Psychology of Perception. Enrollment: 54 undergraduate students. Designed curriculum, prepared and presented lectures and exams, graded exams with the help of a teaching assistant.

1977-2001 Tew-Mac Aviation, & New England Flyers

Certified flight instructor teaching primary, commercial, instrument, multi-engine, and aerobatic flight. Explored dynamic instability of narrow track landing gear in aerobatic biplanes [30].

WORK EXPERIENCE

1999 - Present: Independent Researcher, Schepens Eye Research Institute

Wrote two books [1, 2] and numerous papers on subjects ranging from philosophy of consciousness [1, 2, 3, 5], psychology of perception [1, 2, 14, 15], and theory of brain function [1, 2, 4, 10]. Helped out in the lab with computer programming, conducting psychophysical experiments, mathematical analysis of results, and writing up proposals.

1995-1998 Research Fellow in Ophthalmology, Harvard University

Designed and conducted psychophysical experiments on human subjects, analyzed the data, submitted grant applications, performed computer programming, designed image processing applications. Wrote papers on theories of visual perception. [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

1996-1997 Salem State College, Salem MA. Dept of Psychology

1989-1990 Mitre Corporation, Bedford MA.

Implemented neural network vision model for adaptive edge detection and enhancement in satellite weather imagery [24, 27] and MRI brain scan data [21, 23, 25, 26]. Supervised summer interns to develop a system for categorization of multi-spectral satellite weather data using neural network algorithm.

1985-1987 Avco Research Laboratory, Everett MA.

Performed extensive work in image processing, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence for automatic target recognition and multi-spectral data fusion. Supervised co-op students in target recognition research projects using image processing, artificial intelligence, and neural network techniques. Developed a back-propagation network implementation with graphical interface for hand sketched character recognition [29]. Adapted the network to satellite recognition by infra-red signature profile [28], results mentioned in 1988 DARPA report on neural networks. Developed genetic algorithm for multi-layer neural architectures [31].

1983-1985 Eikonix Corporation, Bedford MA

Co-op program from Northeastern University. Performed extensive image processing work including: image enhancement and restoration using Fourier spatial frequency filtering, fingerprint analysis algorithms, threshold and floating threshold, histogram equalization and spatial convolution. Worked on development of pre-press color balance workstation.

1983-1984 Northeastern University, Boston MA

Research assistant with Prof. Robert Gonzalvez on a contract for Honeywell to optimize spectral discrimination of wide dynamic range monochrome infra-red images using transforms through HIS, UVL, and other color spaces for display in RGB.

1977-1982 Aviation

Pilot, flight instructor, and banner-tow pilot at Tew-Mac Aviation, Tewksbury MA, New England Flyers, Beverly MA, and National Aerial Advertising, North Andover MA. I maintain my pilot's license and continue to fly occasionally.

EDUCATION

1988-1994 Boston University, Boston MA

Ph.D., Cognitive and Neural Systems. Advisor: Dr. Paolo Gaudiano. Coursework included classes on visual perception, memory, animal learning/conditioning, neuroethology, developmental neurobiology, motor control, and speech perception. These multidisciplinary courses treated psychological data, neurophysiological data, and mathematical modeling techniques. Ph.D. Thesis: Developed a computational model of visual perception involving harmonic resonance to explain the formation of various visual illusions, and conducted computer simulations of the model to reproduce those illusory phenomena. [16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

1982-1985 Northeastern University, Boston MA

B. S., Computer Science. Coursework included image processing and artificial intelligence techniques. I have benefited greatly from Northeastern's co-op program, which gave me early experience as an image processing specialist (see Eikonix Corp. above), which in turn led to an interest in computer vision and artificial intelligence, and eventually to natural intelligence and the mechanism of visual perception.

1979-1980 Commerford Flight School, Bedford MA

Advanced Pilot Certificates. Earned commercial pilot, instrument pilot, flight instructor certificate, instrument instructor certificate, and later earned multi-engine, and multi-engine instructor ratings.

BOOKS

[1] Lehar S. (2004) The Boundaries of Human Knowledge: A phenomenological epistemology. Accepted for publication by Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. Information available at...
http://cns-alumni.bu.edu/~slehar/webstuff/book2/Boundaries.html

Anonymous Reviewer #1 for Lawrence Erlbaum: "Lehar thinks thoughts that no one else I know of is thinking. He integrates epistemological approaches and moves easily among them where others limit themselves to one in opposition to another, and thereby comes to a more inclusive and embracing picture. I know of no other competitive books."

Anonymous Reviewer #2 for Lawrence Erlbaum: "The book is a must read for anyone interested in the human mind. … It is an original contribution of high scholarly level to theoretical psychology and Gestalt psychology, as well as to the philosophy of mind. I do not know of an equal to this one. … As you perhaps have noted, I am very enthusiastic about the book … and I unreservedly recommend it for publication."

[2] Lehar S. (2003) The World In Your Head: A Gestalt View of the Mechanism of Conscious Experience. Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. Information available at...
http://cns-alumni.bu.edu/~slehar/webstuff/book/WIYH.html

Reviews:

Philosophical Psychology: "I think it is reasonable to suggest that The World in Your Head is a seminal work that is destined to become a fixture in the conceptual landscape which no one seriously interested in the study of perception can reasonably ignore. It's hypotheses, models, implications, and extensions are likely to influence investigators for decades to come. It is obviously a 'must read' for anyone interested in visual perception..."
Gestalt Theory: "The theory that Lehar presents here is unusually stimulating, and can certainly be seen as the most important contemporary contribution to Gestalt theory and its further development."
Choice (current reviews for academic libraries): "This powerful and inspiring book will fascinate those committed to psychological theory. Summing up: Highly recommended."