Motion Perception and the Scene Statistics of Motion

Acknowledgments None of this work would have been possible without the guidance of my adviser, Bill Geisler. Bill is an outstanding mentor, in equal parts critical and kind. I cannot imagine a better role model for a scientist; he has unflinching integrity, unflagging diligence and a very big brain. Many thanks go to Risto Miikkulainen. Risto would always ask the hard question, challenge me to do more and convince me that it could be done. How many advisers will go surfing with you before a conference? Thanks to the rest of my committee, for reading this document and for their guidance during my graduate career. I have to thank my lab companions here at the People's Republic of Psy-perfect lab partner, always up for white-boarding equations, a dive into code to find a bug, a cup of coffee or P4 at Madam Mam's. There is never a dull moment when George is around, and the conversation always seems suddenly elevated to new philosophical levels. Several of my fellow graduate students have left before me, but I owe them thanks for their help and conversations along the way. In particular Harold Chaput is the best of friends and I have missed his companionship these past few years. Thanks to Ken Stanley as well for his clarity and conversation. Many thanks to Michael Bogomolny. Bogo greeted me when I arrived in Austin, made me feel at home and then became like a brother to me here in Austin. v I have an unbelievably supportive group of friends here in Austin, without whom I would never have survived to finish this degree. Thanks to all of movie-group. In particular, thanks to Luisa, the best personal assistant a graduate student ever had. Thanks to big buddy Stu for his washers, poker and wisdom. Thanks to GC and Monika for their infinite hospitality and wonderful hottub. Shout-outs also to Leigh and David who were incredible mentors into parenthood and to Liz and Patrick who have been our partners in parenthood. Thanks to my family. They are my constant support in too many ways to catalog. Thanks to my sister, Dona, and brother-in-law, Eran, who have basically served as my tertiary adviser on this whole dissertation. Thanks to my brother, Oren, who knows and understands me in ways only he could. Thanking my mother, Barbara, is an impossible task. She was a constant support and is …