The University of California, Merced Cognitive & Information Sciences Graduate Student Spotlight Award recognizes the accomplishments of an outstanding PhD student currently pursuing studies in Cognitive & Information Sciences (CIS). The award is intended to draw attention to the noteworthy contributions of the recipient. Relevant contributions include those associated with academic excellence, service to CIS programs, and service to professional and civic communities. Preference is given to students who are approaching the completion of their dissertation research. Award recipients are identified by the voting faculty of the CIS Department through a standard process of nomination and selection by plurality vote. The award provides a certificate of merit and, with the cooperation of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSHA), the public presentation of a student profile on the SSHA website.
Cody Moser is a PhD student in the Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences. His research examines the origins of individual and institutional behavior where he uses approaches from complex systems and evolutionary dynamics to study collective problem-solving, systems collapse, cultural evolution, and innovation. Before coming to UC Merced, he studied primatology where he worked with capuchin monkeys, dwarf and mouse lemurs, lorises, and aye-ayes. He obtained a B.S. in Anthropology with minors in statistics and biology from Florida State University, a Master’s in Anthropology from Texas A&M University, and worked for two years with The Music Lab in the Harvard Department of Psychology. He is interested in the history and philosophy of science and has written for a number of popular science venues on the applications of research from his field. His favorite animal is the ring-tailed lemur, his favorite room on campus is SE2 224, and his dream job is to be a graduate student.
Visit the SSHA Award page here.
