{"id":64813,"date":"2025-01-14T08:54:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T13:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=64813"},"modified":"2025-01-21T07:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T12:39:20","slug":"the-eyes-have-it-dr-bret-eschmans-vision-for-cognitive-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/the-eyes-have-it-dr-bret-eschmans-vision-for-cognitive-development\/","title":{"rendered":"The eyes have it: Dr. Bret Eschman\u2019s vision for cognitive development"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dr.

Dr. Bret Eschman and graduate student Bailee Smith in the Visual Memory and Attention Development Lab. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

In a way, Dr. Bret Eschman\u2019s path to cognitive neuroscience began on the football field.<\/p>\n

During his time as a wide receiver on the football team at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois, Eschman\u2014now a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga assistant professor of psychology and director of the Visual Memory and Attention Development (VMAD) Lab<\/strong><\/a>\u2014enrolled in an experimental psychology class.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Jeremy Turner had one of the most productive research labs on campus,\u201d Eschman recalled, \u201cand I discovered I loved the process of asking big questions and finding answers through data.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main reason I went to this very small liberal arts school in central Illinois was to play football, but I was captivated by Dr. Turner\u2019s teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eschman explained that Turner was conducting research on tinnitus\u2014a condition that causes ringing in the ears\u2014and, using \u201clab rats and cutting-edge technology,\u201d he was developing ways to measure the severity of the condition through brainwave analysis.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had previously never considered research before, but after that semester, I asked him if he needed any help in the lab,\u201d Eschman said. \u201cThat\u2019s where it all clicked for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

That early enthusiasm for research became the foundation of a career that has taken Eschman to Missouri State University for a master\u2019s degree, UT Knoxville for a doctoral degree, Florida International University for postdoctoral research\u2014and UTC.<\/p>\n

Now in his third year at the University, Eschman uses eye-tracking technology in the VMAD Lab to study how people perceive, pay attention and make decisions. His work spans all ages, but much of his focus is on infants and young children\u2014with the goal of identifying early markers for cognitive, social or language delays.<\/p>\n

Eye-tracking, he said, \u201cprovides a window into the mechanism leading to some type of behavior.\u201d Infrared light reflects off a viewer\u2019s eyes and back into a monitor, allowing researchers to track where someone is looking, how long they focus on an area and how their eyes move across a field of stimuli.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s really interesting to me as a cognitive researcher is that we\u2019re getting a glimpse under the hood of this process of deciding,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe can see that play out in real-time with scan paths, how many comparisons they make, how long they dwell in a specific area, and how many times they come back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll these little metrics that we\u2019re tracking afford us the opportunity to really tell a complete picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the technology is ideal for developmental research because \u201cit is non-invasive, making it easier to work with infants and children\u201d who might otherwise struggle with traditional testing methods.<\/p>\n

In one current VMAD Lab study, Eschman said eye-tracking is being used to measure how infants process multisensory information\u2014such as matching a parent\u2019s voice to their lip movements. This skill, he explained, is critical for language development and can reveal potential delays in social or cognitive growth.<\/p>\n

Other current lab projects include exploring how chronic stress impacts adult attention and decision-making\u2014and testing the efficacy of \u201cbionic reading,\u201d a typeface designed to improve comprehension for individuals with ADHD and dyslexia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the kinds of questions eye-tracking is uniquely equipped to answer,\u201d Eschman said. \u201cIt gives us the tools to dig deeper into the cognitive processes that define how we learn and interact with the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eschman credits much of the VMAD Lab\u2019s success to its collaborative nature, as students are encouraged to take ownership of projects.<\/p>\n

He said one of his standout researchers is Bailee Smith\u2014a second-year graduate student whose work focuses on the relationship between executive function and intelligence.<\/p>\n

Smith explained that her research explores how cognitive processes like impulse control relate to intelligence, specifically examining how individuals manage distractions and switch between tasks.<\/p>\n

\u201cExecutive function is how we process and navigate information,\u201d said Smith, a 2020 graduate of South Pittsburg (Tennessee) High School and recipient of a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology from UTC in 2023. \u201cI\u2019m looking at how flexible we are, how well we can maintain attention and how those skills correlate with intelligence scores.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s journey into the VMAD Lab began with a referral from another faculty member, Dr. David Ross, who recognized her overlapping research interests with Eschman. Since joining, she has taken on a central role in managing data collection, mentoring undergraduate students and helping to shape the lab\u2019s research priorities.<\/p>\n

\u201cBailee\u2019s contributions have been phenomenal,\u201d Eschman said. \u201cHer dedication and leadership have made her an invaluable part of our team.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Smith, who aspires to be a professor and is currently applying for Ph.D. programs, the opportunity to work in a developing lab under Eschman\u2019s mentorship has been both challenging and rewarding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been able to help design tasks, create projects and really build the lab alongside Dr. Eschman. That independence has been invaluable,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe support I\u2019ve had here from Dr. Eschman and others has been incredible. It\u2019s pushed me to grow both professionally and personally, and I feel prepared to take the next step in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. Bret Eschman uses eye-tracking technology in the VMAD Lab to study how people perceive, pay attention and make decisions.<\/p><\/div>\n

Eschman said mentorship played a critical role in his academic journey.<\/p>\n

He began his doctoral pursuit at East Tennessee State University working under Dr. Shannon Ross-Sheehy, whose primary research interests are in the co-development of visual attention and other cognitive systems.<\/p>\n

Eschman said Ross-Sheehy shaped his career by teaching him both the technical skills and the broader theoretical frameworks needed for developmental research.<\/p>\n

\u201cShannon\u2019s mentorship was transformative,\u201d Eschman said. \u201cShe showed me how to think critically about developmental science and how to design experiments that really matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBret was my first graduate student, and he set the bar really high,\u201d Ross-Sheehy recalled.\u00a0 \u201cHe was curious and driven \u2026 he had an amazing \u2018can do\u2019 attitude and was a joy to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Ross-Sheehy landed a position at UT Knoxville after Eschman\u2019s first year at ETSU, he followed her to continue his doctoral work\u2014refining his focus on eye-tracking and working memory research.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was really interested in understanding the origin of individual differences,\u201d Ross-Sheehy explained. \u201cWe were working together to try to find a task that allowed us to assess individual differences in babies, something that really hasn\u2019t been done before. His dissertation explored that.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to get babies interested in staring at a computer screen for any length of time, but he came up with some really clever tasks to assess working memory in babies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that Eschman is mentoring his own students, Ross-Sheehy called it \u201cfantastic\u201d to see him following in her footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn a personal level, I miss Bret all the time,\u201d she said. \u201cHe was always the first one in the lab at both UT and at ETSU. Especially at UT\u2014I\u2019d arrive pretty early sometimes and I\u2019d see the light on in the lab; he\u2019d already be working.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe definitely has his own ideas, though. He came to work with me because of his interest in individual differences. He really flourished learning those tools and how to study them, and I feel like he\u2019s taken that knowledge and stretched it in new directions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Eye-tracking,

Eye-tracking, according to Dr. Bret Eschman, \u201cprovides a window into the mechanism leading to some type of behavior.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n

As a postdoctoral researcher at Florida International University, Eschman investigated the effects of socioeconomic disparities on early cognitive development.<\/p>\n

He said that one of his most striking findings was the role of maternal education in shaping children\u2019s attention and memory skills. Eschman\u2019s research has shown that children from lower-income households often lack access to the high-quality interactions and environmental stimulation necessary for building foundational cognitive abilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about money,\u201d Eschman said. \u201cIt\u2019s about opportunities\u2014moments when caregivers can connect and engage in ways that support development.\u201d<\/p>\n

These disparities, he explained, have cascading effects. Without strong attention and memory skills, children are more likely to struggle with language acquisition, problem-solving and academic success later in life.<\/p>\n

Eschman said he is committed to connecting his findings to the broader community. Parents who bring their children to the VMAD Lab often leave with practical advice, such as the importance of narrating daily activities to improve language development or engaging in face-to-face interactions to build social bonds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredible to see how our science translates into real-world impact. Even small changes can make a big difference,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The thrill of discovery, he said, drives everything he does.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s so much left to uncover,\u201d Eschman said, \u201cand that\u2019s what keeps me coming back every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

UTC Department of Psychology<\/a><\/p>\n

Visual Memory and Attention Development (VMAD) Lab<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Now in his third year at UTC, Dr. Bret Eschman uses eye-tracking technology in the Visual Memory and Attention Development Lab to study how people perceive, pay attention and make decisions. His work spans all ages, but much of his focus is on infants and young children\u2014with the goal of identifying early markers for cognitive, social or language delays.<\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":64815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[286,70,123864,61,3,122313,7712,52,83654,64,48007,8325,661],"tags":[125093,125090,123827,123826,48431,125095,123828,124776,123829,125091,125092,125094],"class_list":{"0":"post-64813","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-college-of-arts-sciences","10":"category-community","11":"category-experiential-learning","12":"category-faculty-and-staff","13":"category-graduate-school","14":"category-health-and-wellness","15":"category-news","16":"category-psychology","17":"category-research-academics","18":"category-service","19":"category-students","20":"tag-bailee-smith","21":"tag-bret-eschman","22":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","23":"tag-cultivating-a-culture-of-innovation","24":"tag-david-ross","25":"tag-jeremy-turner","26":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","27":"tag-mocs-learn-mocs-do-mocs-lead","28":"tag-operating-with-excellence","29":"tag-shannon-ross-sheehy","30":"tag-visual-memory-and-attention-development-lab","31":"tag-vmad-lab","32":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nThe eyes have it: Dr. Bret Eschman\u2019s vision for cognitive development | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - Oct 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Now in his third year at UTC, Dr. Bret Eschman uses eye-tracking technology in the Visual Memory and Attention Development Lab to study how people perceive, pay attention and make decisions. 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