Dr Samuel Recht, Psychology Research Associate

Dr Samuel Recht is a Research Associate in Psychology. Having just received the Young Investigator Award in Psychology/Ethology from the Fyssen Foundation, he talks about his experience and time at Univ.

What brought you to Univ?

I completed my PhD in cognitive psychology and neuroscience at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, studying attention and perceptual metacognition (our ability to think about our own perception). After my PhD, I joined Oxford as a Fyssen Fellow in late 2020. Since then, I’ve been investigating the behavioural and neuronal bases of curiosity, metacognition and memory. Univ is an excellent place for this interdisciplinary research, offering a supportive environment for collaboration. I work closely with Nick Yeung, the Fellow in Psychology at Univ. Nick has been a fantastic mentor, and both the college and the university have a vibrant community that not only supports developing a research agenda but also fosters friendships.

What made you want to be an academic?

I have been curious about the brain and mind for a long time and have always enjoyed discussing people’s understanding of the world. Academia is a beautiful blend of these two aspects: designing innovative experiments to tackle new problems and teaching young minds to play with their rationale and points of view to improve their own understanding. When I realised what academia was all about, I jumped in!

What’s your favourite part of being an academic?

In my field, a significant portion of time is dedicated to thinking about and designing new experimental protocols to test hypotheses. This requires a deep dive into the literature, where you constantly learn and discover new topics. This serendipity is fantastic. Experimental design is probably one of my favourite aspects of research. Teaching is another one: there is something magical about witnessing a student’s interest in a topic unfold. Being a tutor at Oxford strengthens this sentiment even more, as it allows you to personalise your teaching to a greater extent.

Tell us about receiving the Young Investigator Award.

The Fyssen Foundation has been supporting researchers for over 40 years and has recently introduced the Young Investigator Award. This award recognises early-career researchers who previously held a fellowship and won the best paper award in their field for publication in the Foundation’s review. I was honoured and thrilled to learn that they wanted to award me their 2024 Prize in Ethology/Psychology. The ceremony took place in June 2024 at the Natural History Museum in Paris, and it was a truly magical experience.

Do you have any highlights from your time at Univ?

Univ is a wonderful college, and during my three years there, I’ve made countless good memories. Some of the most exciting moments were the regular dinners at High Table, where you always find yourself seated next to someone with incredible talent and experience in a topic you might not have known existed. I made many good friends, ranging from Egyptologists and economists to Earth scientists and biologists. Discussing curiosity in this context was a delight, and we also had great non-academic times. The Early-Career Researchers (ECRs) community at Univ is very active, and we had many events, from subject lunches where an ECR would present their work, to punting excursions on the River Cherwell. I enjoyed every bit of it!

Have you faced any challenges from your time at Univ?

I arrived in Oxford in the midst of the pandemic. Like many, I experienced the silent, motionless atmosphere of this period. Discovering Oxford and Univ at that time was a very peculiar experience, and it made me realise how important the social bond is between researchers, as well as students and staff. When regulations eased and you started meeting people in this new environment for the first time, it was an incredible moment, as if coming out of hibernation. It was wonderful to catch in others’ gazes the same feeling of surprise and excitement while Univ’s gates were opening again.

Do you have any advice for students?

Be mindful. Too often, we focus on what’s next instead of truly enjoying the present moment. I know that at first it may sound a bit trivial, but we are often not fully attentive to the things right in front of us. Pay attention to your emotions and feelings during this morning’s tutorial, notice the nice time you’re having in Hall, and appreciate the beauty of the autumn leaves near the Master’s Lodgings. These small moments can become lasting memories. Mindfulness can help you be kinder to yourself: when you face challenges, stress, or exams, remembering these simple pleasures can remind you that you’re already experiencing something special.

Describe Univ in three words.

An old friend.

Published: 21 August 2024

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