Dennis Perez

Reveal Contact Info

PhD Student

Vision Science

Yates Lab

Current Research

My research investigates how eye movements alter retinal input statistics and reshape encoding strategies. I use computational models to figure out what optimal encoding should look like under these conditions. By comparing these theoretical predictions with biological recordings, I aim to understand the computational principles underlying retinal organization and how the visual system efficiently adapts its limited resources to dynamic viewing conditions.

Background

My path to academia has been unconventional to say the least. Coming from my background, this wasn’t a path I could have imagined for myself. But I’ve always had this deep curiosity I couldn’t quite understand, one that compelled me to continue learning. That drive naturally evolved into a fascination with the brain, which led me to research. Now I work with Dr. Jacob Yates developing statistical models to understand how retinal neurons respond to visual stimuli. Being in this program is more than a privilege; it’s the realization of a lifelong dream to channel my curiosity into discovery and to pursue the career I had unknowingly always dreamed of: becoming a scientist. When I’m not in the lab, I’m grounded by my family’s support and motivated by making science accessible to others who might not see themselves here either.