WHAT WE REALLY SEE
Flip Phillips, Professor of Psychology
AS A FORMER ANIMATION SCIENTIST AT PIXAR STUDIOS, Flip Phillips has a lot of
“toys,” including an eye-movement tracker that was perfect for neuroscience major David
Jacobs’s project on what people see when they view a painting—literally and figuratively.
He had a hunch symmetry might play a role.
In his own lab, Phillips uses a 3D printer to fabricate objects for his research on the
interaction of the senses of touch and vision. Beyond that, his lab studies all kinds of
perception-and-action topics including the strategies of fencers and soccer players,
the synchronization of snare drummers, and the information used by fighter pilots.
If it has to do with perceiving and acting, Phillips is curious about every aspect of it. And
he’ll find or devise a tool to study it, especially if it advances the work of a student.
curiosity
IF YOU NEVER WONDER, YOU’LL NEVER EXPLORE. IF YOU DON’T INVESTIGATE, YOU CAN’T CONNECT.
IF YOU AREN’T QUESTIONING, YOU WON’T UNDERSTAND. IF YOU DON’T SEEK, YOU’LL STOP FINDING.
