Reacting fast can be life preserving, performance enhancing or just plain fun. The capacity of the human brain to translate sensory information into motor action in less than 200 ms is remarkable. Complex biological and behavioural mechanisms underlying such performance have intrigued scientists for hundreds of years. In the search for explanations measurement systems have evolved from telegraph keys to real-time recording of brain activity. This seminar will reflect an extended journey with many reaction-time pauses, and a parallel pathway through unexpected encounters.

Greg Anson is an exercise scientist nearing the end of a totally absorbing and rewarding academic career. He began tertiary education at Ardmore Teachers’ College to become a primary school teacher, became a secondary school physical education teacher, spent two years in the Solomon Islands then headed to the University of Otago to study physical education properly! His intent to return to secondary teaching never materialised. He completed an MSc at the University of Wyoming, PhD at Penn State University and held academic positions at Cumberland College of Health Sciences (Sydney), University of Washington (Seattle), Oregon State University (Corvallis) and the University of Otago. He came to the University of Auckland in 2009 where he has served as Head of Department, Head of Campus (Tāmaki) and briefly as Acting Dean, Faculty of Science.

Refreshments will be available in the Conference Centre Foyer (423-300L1) from 5pm.