You've reached the virtual home of Bobby Rohrkemper. I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I study Physics,
Mathematics, and Computer Science at Kalamazoo College. Scroll further to read my Curriculum Vitae.
Or, click here to see a new image on the intro screen. Some highlights of this page
include gigabytes (about 10) of digital
photos and materials from my Kalamazoo College portfolio. In the Fall, I will
start a PhD program in Neuroscience at Brandeis
University!
PERSONAL DATA:
NAME: Bobby Rohrkemper
CONTACT: http://people.brandeis.edu/~bobby or hornetzoo@hotmail.com
CITIZENSHIP: USA
PURPOSE:
To obtain a research position for the study of problems in
neuroscience through a computational and mathematical means.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I am interested in studying the brain from a computational angle. I have done research
ranging from computational modeling to functional imaging and psychophysics. Currently, I am a research assistant in
Christof Koch's lab at Caltech and I will be graduating from Kalamazoo College in June.
My current research, in Christof Koch's lab, is on the neural correlates of visual awareness. Using
a modified version of binocular rivalry, called continuous flash suppression (CFS), it is possible to
render a target image invisible for an extended period of time. We can then use functional imaging
to measure the response of particular brain areas. I am very interested in understanding the critical
moments before an image switches into conscious perception.
I have been involved in many stages of the project, including: literature search, writing a project
proposal, programming visual stimuli in MATLAB, psychophysical testing of CFS, functional imaging (by BOLD fMRI) to localize visual areas responsive to faces and scenes (FFA & PPA), analysis
of block design and event-related fMRI experiments using BrainVoyager and MATLAB. I will con-
tinue to work on this project over the summer at Caltech.
Previously, I worked in neural modeling with Péter Érdi at his Computational Neuroscience Lab in
Budapest, Hungary. There, I built a model of inhibitory cells from the medial septum in order to
study the cell's periodicity as a function of the network structure.
EDUCATION:
Chelsea High School, Chelsea, Michigan, USA, Diploma, Summa Cum Laude, 2000.
GPA: 3.9 / 4.0
SAT II Physics score: 740 / 800
Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, will graduate Spring 2004.
GPA: 3.85 / 4.0
Majors: Physics and Computer
Science.
Minor: Mathematics.
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, dual enrolment 2001.
Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia, Study
Abroad, 2002-2003.
The Computational Neuroscience Group, KFKI Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics of the Hungarian
Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary, senior thesis project, Summer 2003.
Computation and Neural Systems, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA, visiting
student researcher, Winter 2004.
Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, will start PhD
program in Neuroscience Fall 2004.
Courses beyond introductory sequence:
| Physics: | Quantum
and Relativity, Electricity and Magnetism (I & II), Optics,
Solid
State Physics, Intermediate
Mechanics, Thermal
Physics, Quantum
Mechanics. |
| Mathematics: | Calculus
sequence, Discrete Math, Differential
Equations,
Linear Algebra, Dynamic
Models in the Social Sciences. |
| Computer Science: | Data
Structures, Algorithms, Computational
Neuroscience,
Digital Electronics, Software
Technology, 3D Computer
Animation. |
| Biology/Chem.: | Biology
II (advanced high school course), Vision: From Computational Theory to Neuronal
Mechanisms (planned as an audit for Winter quarter at Caltech), two years of high school chemistry and an introductory course at
Kalamazoo College. |
COMPUTING SKILLS:
| Environments: | Linux, Macintosh, Unix, Windows. |
| Languages: | C++, Java, Javascript, BASH, Matlab, VHDL, LaTeX, Condor, HTML. |
| Applications: | BrainVoyager, Genesis, Neuron, Maple, Mathematica, MathCAD, PSPICE, JMP,
Office applications, Flash, Dreamweaver, 3D animation software, Photoshop, and Illustrator. |
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
| Speak Spanish at the intermediate level, minimal German and Hungarian. |
| Possess well developed writing skills. |
Maintain avid reading of both technical and non-technical materials. |
AWARDS:
ACHIEVEMENT:
Maintain a 4.0 / 4.0 average in Physics and Computer Science Courses.
RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS:
| 2001 | Dr. Jan Tobochnik (Physics Chair, Kalamazoo College, Editor of the American
Journal of Physics), developed Java
Applets for Physics Education. |
| 2002 | Dr. Robert Hart (Applied
Physics, Curtin University of Technology),
analyzed synchrotron data for the identification of defects
in clay minerals, Solid State Physics. |
| 2003 | Dr. Péter Érdi (Henry R. Luce Professor at the Center
for Complex Systems , Kalamazoo College, Head of Department of Biophysics, KFKI Research
Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences),
characterized properties of periodic cells with GABAergic connections
in the medial septum, computational studies. |
| 2004 | Dr. Christof Koch (Lois and Victor Troendle Professor
of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology, Executive Officer of
Computation and Neural Systems, California Institute of
Technology), will research perceptual suppression phenomena
through psychophysics and fMRI. |
WORK IN PROGRESS:
Characterization and Identification of Clay Minerals, this project requires
more synchrotron data, which will be recorded in November and published
at a later date.
Periodicity in Septo-Hippocampal Networks, this project will be continued
through the following year by working closely with Dr. Péter Érdi at Kalamazoo
College.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
| Teaching Assistant for courses: | Introductory Physics I, Introductory Physics II,
Quantum and Relativity, Computational Neuroscience. |
| Tutoring: | high school level mathematics and physics. |
CONFERENCES AND PRESENTATIONS:
| 2001 | Presentation to Kalamazoo College Physics, Math, and Computer Science
Departments on 'Java Applets for Physics Education' |
| 2002 | Kalamazoo
College Symposium on Interdisciplinary Approaches to Neuroscience: The Hippocampus, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. Attended. |
| 2003 | Sixth IBRO World Conference on Neuroscience , Prague, Czech Republic.
Attended one day of conference. |
| 2003 | Progress report to CNS Group at KFKI on 'Topics in Periodicity'. |
| 2003 | International
School on Neural Nets, 8th Course Computational Neuroscience: Cortical Dynamics, Erice, Sicily. Student talk and poster: Detecting Periodic Cells in a
Simulated MS-GABA Inhibitory Network |
| 2004 | The Ninth Annual Consortium for Computing
Sciences in Colleges---Northeastern Conference, Schenectady, NY. Submitted poster abstract: Autocorrelation and Fourier
Analysis for Detecting Periodic Cell Potentials in a Simulated
Inhibitory Neural Network |
| 2004 | Vision Sciences Society: Fourth Annual Meeting. Sarasota, FL. |
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS:
| 1998-2000 | Lead as a senior lifeguard and camp counselor for Ann
Arbor YMCA and Chelsea School District. |
| 2000-2002 | Managed and planned landscaping for a private residence. |
| 2000 | Voted captain of high school swim team. |
| 2000-2001 | Represented Kalamazoo College as a board member to the American Chemical
Society. |
| 2002 | Selected for Kalamazoo College Leadership
Conference. |
| 2002 | Consulted with Ann Arbor Plastics, Ann Arbor, MI, USA on their
computer network and planned new equipment purchases. |
ACTIVITIES:
Memberships:
Other:
| 1997-2002 | Violin lessons and participation in high school orchestra. |
| 2000-2002 | Habitat for Humanity and Building Blocks. |
| 2003 | Curtin Volunteers, service project to Aboriginal
community in Australia. |
| 2003 | PADI Master
SCUBA Diver certificate. |
REFERENCES:
Dr. Péter Érdi (Henry R. Luce Professor at the Center for Complex Systems,
Kalamazoo College, Head of Department of Biophysics, KFKI
Research Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Hungarian
Academy of the
Sciences), Center for Complex Systems Studies, Kalamazoo College
1200 Academy Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA,
e-mail: perdi@kzoo.edu, tel: +1-269-337-5720, fax: +1-269-337-7101.
Dr. Jan Tobochnik (Physics Chair, Editor of the American Journal of Physics), Kalamazoo College, Physics Department
1200 Academy Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA,
e-mail: jant@kzoo.edu, tel: +1-269-337-7089, fax: +1-269-337-7101.
Dr. Brian O'Connor (Emeritus Professor, Dean), Department of Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology,
Building 301, Room 206B, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia, e-mail: B.O'Connor@Curtin.edu.au, tel: + 61-8-9266-7843, fax: + 61-8-9266-2377.
Dr. Tom Askew, (Physics professor), Physics Department, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy Street,
Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA, e-mail: askew@kzoo.edu, tel: +1-269-337-7097, fax: +1-269-337-7101.
Dr. Carol Anderson, (Religion Chair), Religion Department, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy Street,
Kalamazoo, MI 49006, USA, e-mail: anderson@kzoo.edu, tel: +1-269-337-7114.
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