Rachael Booker, Ph.D.

Research Associate

Center for Vision Science and Technology and Visual Processing Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Edu-Tech University

Education
August, 2000–May, 2006 Edu-Tech University Los Angeles, CA
n  Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering (GPA 3.60).
Dissertation: “English phoneme and word recognition by nonnative English listeners as a function of spectral resolution and English experience”.
Related courses: Structure and Management of Clinical Trials, Regulation of Medical Devices.
August, 1999–May, 2001 Edu-Tech University Los Angeles, CA
n  M.S., Biomedical Engineering.
Thesis: “Speaker-Independent Vowel Recognition With Coarse Spectral Information Using a TDNN”.
August, 1991–April, 1998 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogota, Colombia
n  B.S., Electronic Engineering.
Thesis: “Study of Three Mathematical Models in the Cancellation of Acoustic Noise”, Co-author: Navarro, F.R.
Professional Experience
September, 2006–Present Edu-Tech University Los Angeles, CA
Postdoctoral Research Associate
§  Recruitment and screening of subjects for testing.
§  Working on visual and auditory perception and perceptual learning, using Psychophysical and fMRI techniques.
§  Processing and generation of visual and auditory signals for testing.
§  Design and implementation of an auditory lab.
§  Prepare research study protocols and submissions for IRB.
§  Supervision and training of Undergraduate and Graduate students.
May, 2000–September, 2006 Edu-Tech University-House Ear Institute Los Angeles, CA
Research Assistant
§  Used Artificial Neural Networks for speech pattern recognition.
§  Worked on the development of a Consonant database for testing.
§  Worked on speech recognition by nonnative English listeners.
§  Processed speech signals used for testing (simulation of cochlear implant hearing).
§  Recruitment and screening of subjects for testing and perform hearing tests on future subjects.
Calibration of equipment required for speech testing.May, 1998–July, 1999 Sucromiles, S.A. Cali, Colombia
Electronic Maintenance Engineer
§  Developed a program using the company truck scale.
§  Designed and implemented an Electronic Lab for the Maintenance Department.
§  Supervise personnel during absences of my supervisor, head of the Electric Maintenance Department.
August, 1993–December, 1994 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogotá, Colombia
Computer Lab Assistant
§  In charge of the Engineering Computer Lab.
§  Responsible for giving courses in the use of Pascal Language.
August, 1991–December, 1991 Centro Colombo Americano Cali, Colombia
English Teacher
§  Teach English to children and adults.
Skills
n  Fluent in English and Spanish.
n  Knowledge of programming languages and Windows based programs.
Awards
n  2009 – Travel Fellowship for the 25th CVS symposium Statistical learning & brain plasticity.
n  2009 – WiSE Travel Grant for Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows.
n  2006 – Student Travel Award for the Conference on Implantable Auditory Prosthesis.
n  2005 – 2nd Place Student Paper Competition, Acoustical Society of America.
n  2005 – 3rd Place Poster Presentation in Edu-Tech Grodins Symposium.
n  2004 – Student Travel Award, 32nd Neural Prosthesis Workshop, NIH.
n  2000-2006 – Research Assistanship, Edu-Tech University & House Ear Institute.
n  1999 – Colfuturo Scholarship for Graduate Studies, Colombia.
n  1998 – One of the best five B.S. Thesis of the Graduation class, Colombia.
n  1990 – Andres Bello Medal for Top High School Students, Colombia.
n  1990 – 2nd Place in Graduation Class, Colombia.
Mentored/Supervised Students
n  October, 2009-Present, Benjamin Files (Graduate student, Neuroscience Program, Edu-Tech).
n  August, 2009-Present, Junkwan Lee (Graduate student, Biomedical Engineering, Edu-Tech).
n  January-June, 2009, Phoebe White (Undergraduate student, Biomedical Engineering, Edu-Tech).
n  August, 2008-May, 2009, Aaron Wong (Undergraduate student, Biomedical Engineering, Edu-Tech)
n  January-May, 2008, Adam Gibbons (Undergraduate student, Biomedical Engineering, Edu-Tech).
publications
§  Cook, N.M. and Booker, R. (2010). “Bayesian Generalization of Statistical Learning Theory for Noisy Neural Representations”, in preparation (for submission to Journal of Neural Computation).
§  Lee, E-J, Booker, R., Merwine, D.K. and Cook, N.M. (2010). “Visual experience regulates the integrity of Horizontal cells in the mouse retina”, in preparation.
§  Booker, R. and Shannon, R.V. (2010). “English phoneme and word recognition by nonnative English speakers as a function of English experience and spectral resolution”, in preparation (for submission to Journal of Acoustical Society of America).
§  Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2010). “Different Types of Perceptual Learning in a Speed-Segmentation Task”, in preparation (for submission to Vision Research).
§  Lee, E-J, Merwine, D.K., Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2010). “Choline Acetyltransferase Immunoreactive Neurons in the retina of normal and dark-reared turtle”, Journal of Comparative Neurology (accepted).
n  Booker, R., Fogleman, A., Bitel, L. and Cook, N.M. (2010). “Effects of Culture on Sensory Perception and Their Possible Implications for Religious Visions”, Visionaries and Vision Hunters Workshop, pp. 1-21.
§  Cook, N.M. and Booker, R. (2009). “Biological Neural Control”, Wiley Encyclopedia of Biomedicine, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., DOI: 10.1002/9780471740360.ebs0828
§  Shannon, R.V., Jensvold, A., Booker, R., Robert, M. and Wang, X. (2002). “Consonant recordings for speech testing”, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 106(6), L71-L74.
published abstracts
§  Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2009). “Does Perceptual Learning acquire the prior?”, 25th CVS Symposium, P13.
§  Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2009). “Is Statistical Learning Theory applicable to the Human Brain?”, Vision Science Society meeting, B42-271, 48.
§  Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2007). “Perceptual Learning in a Motion-Segmentation task”, Society for Neuroscience.
§  Booker, R. and Cook, N.M. (2007). “What can we learn in Perceptual Learning?”, Joint Symposium on Neural Computation.
§  Booker, R. and Shannon, R. V. (2005). “Could lack of experience with a second language be modeled as a hearing loss?”, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 112, 2385.
meetings and Workshops
n  Edu-Tech CRCC, Visionaries and Vision Hunters Workshop, February 2010.
n  Vision Science Society Meeting, Sarasota, FL, May 2009
n  Center for Vision & Science Technology Symposium, Edu-Tech University, March 2008.
n  Society for Neuroscience Meeting (SFN), San Diego, CA, October 2007.
n  Joint Symposium on Neural Computation, Edu-Tech University, May 2007.
n  Conference on Implantable Auditory Prosthesis, Asilomar Conference Grounds, CA, August 2006.
n  Grodins Graduate Research Symposium, Edu-Tech University, March 2006.
n  Acoustical Society of America Meeting, Cancun, Mexico, December 2005.
professional Membership
§  2008-Present, Vision Science Society.
§  2007-Present, Society for Neuroscience.
§  2001-2007, Acoustical Society of America.
§  1994-2006, IEEE.