Affiliated Departments & Programs

Andrew Engell joined the Kenyon faculty in 2013. His research program is motivated by his interest in how the brain gives rise to a vast repertoire of elaborate social and cognitive skills.

Engell is particularly interested in the seemingly effortless way that people identify and interpret non-verbal social information that is conveyed by facial expression, eye-gaze direction, facial identity, body posture and biological motion. To better understand how the brain generates these remarkable facilities, he has used a multimodal approach that includes functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), intracranial and scalp electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral experiments.

Methods of human neuroscience is also an area of focus for Engell, as he finds the tools used to measure human brain activity inherently interesting. For example, he has explored the relationship between the hemodynamic signal (i.e., changes in how much oxygen is in the blood) measured by fMRI and local-field potentials (i.e., electrical signals produced by large groups of neurons) measured by EEG.

Dr. Engell completed his Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University and his postdoctoral training in EEG at Yale University. His work has been supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship and a National Institute of Mental Health National Research Service Award.

Dr. Engell lives in the Gambier area with his wife, Dana, and their adopted dogs, Carol and Lieutenant Waffles.

Areas of Expertise

Cognitive and social neuroscience, perception of social agents, face processing, human neuroscience methods.

Education

2008 — Doctor of Philosophy from Princeton University

2005 — Master of Arts from Princeton University

2001 — Bachelor of Arts from The College of New Jersey

Courses Recently Taught

This course is the same as PSYC 275D. Can ants count? Can gorillas "converse" about the past or the future? Do crows use tools? Can dogs read human faces to detect our mood or follow our gaze for guidance or direction? These are the types of questions we will be considering in this seminar on animal cognition. We will examine how various cognitive abilities evolved in non-human animals and the purpose these abilities serve in their lives. Additionally, we will explore the implications of animal cognition for our own cognitive abilities. General topics we will discuss include memory, learning, conceptual abilities, spatial cognition, numerical competence, planning, social intelligence, communication and language, animal culture, and self awareness and theory of mind in non-human animals. This course can be used as an elective towards the neuroscience major or concentration. This counts toward the elective requirement for the major. This course paired with any neuroscience course counts toward the natural science diversification requirement. Prerequisite: PSYC 100, 110 or NEUR 212.

Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. In this introductory course, we explore a variety of areas in which psychologists conduct research: the biological foundations of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, cognition, learning and memory, developmental psychology, personality and social psychology, psychological disorders, and variability in behavior related to culture. This course is open only to first-year and sophomore students. This counts toward the foundations requirement for the major. No prerequisite. Offered every semester.

Humans are one of the very few "ultra-social" species on Earth. Interacting with others is an integral part of being human. Not surprisingly then, our brains have evolved to be wired for sociality. We explore how the brain supports complex social cognition and behavior such as understanding the minds of others, perception of faces and bodies, empathy and moral decision-making. We also explore the need to belong and the biological nature of social pain. The course is meant to be accessible to all students with an interest in the relationship between the social mind and the social brain, regardless of knowledge about the biology of behavior. Students are introduced to each topic primarily through books and essays written for non-experts. This counts as an elective for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 100, 110, AP PSYC score of 5 or NEUR 212.

Can ants count? Can gorillas "converse" about the past or the future? Do crows use tools? Can dogs read human faces to detect our mood or follow our gaze for guidance or direction? These are the types of questions we consider in this seminar. We examine how various cognitive abilities evolved in non-human animals and the purpose these abilities serve in their lives. Additionally, we explore the implications of animal cognition for our own cognitive abilities. General topics include memory, learning, conceptual abilities, spatial cognition, numerical competence, planning, social intelligence, communication and language, animal culture, and self awareness and theory of mind in non-human animals. This course can be used as an elective towards the neuroscience major or concentration. This counts toward the mind and brain requirement for the major. This course is the same as NEUR 275D. Prerequisite: PSYC 100, 110 or NEUR 212.

This course focuses on human brain systems that support sensory, motor, cognitive, social and affective phenomena. Early in the semester, we build a foundation of knowledge about brain anatomy and physiology, human sensory and motor systems, and the methods used in cognitive neuroscience research. We incorporate this knowledge into subsequent explorations of how the brain gives rise to complex phenomena such as attention, learning and memory, language, emotion and social cognition. The course aims to provide students with a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, the complex relationship between brain and mind, and how our understanding of this relationship is informed by cognitive neuroscience research. This counts toward the mind and brain requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 250 or NEUR 212. Generally offered every year.

This course introduces students to the methods used in human neuroscience research. Several structural and functional techniques used to investigate the brain will be discussed. However, the course will primarily focus on the two most commonly used tools in cognitive neuroscience: functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). We will take a detailed look at the physical phenomena that make MRI possible, as well as the neurophysiological properties that produce the signal measured by MRI. A similar in-depth approach will be used to understand the physical and physiological processes involved in EEG. The course trains students in the practical aspects of fMRI/EEG data acquisition and analysis. We will therefore dedicate a considerable amount of time to "hands-on" data analysis using several software packages that are commonly used in the field. This counts toward the advanced research requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 250 and 310 or NEUR 304, 305 or 307 or permission of instructor. Offered occasionally.

This is the second semester of the two-part sequence required for senior psychology majors. This class features hands-on experience in creating and conducting research to allow students to learn by doing. We investigate the procedure of generating research from start to finish through the lens of theory learned in the first semester. This course strongly and equally emphasizes strengthening scientific writing skills, generating research designs and quantitative reasoning and application. Along the way we practice evaluating research designs and perfecting APA style. This course is designed to prepare students for a career in research in psychology. This counts toward the Senior Capstone requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 475. Senior standing, psychology major. Offered every spring