Education

2003 PhD in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Thesis: Natural image coding in early visual areas: functional magnetic resonance imaging and psychophysical studies of the human visual system

Committee: Daniel Kersten, Kamil Ugurbil, Sheng He, Guillermo Sapiro

1995 BS in Physics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Academic appointments

Aug ’05 - present Assistant professor, Departments of Psychology and Radiology, University of Minnesota.

Research interests: accurate localization of visual responses using fMRI at 3T and 7T; heterogeneity of BOLD response in early visual areas; image distortion and signal loss in EPI-based functional MRI; modulation of early visual responses by task, attention, and context.

Jun ’04 – Aug ‘05 Post-doctoral fellow, Center for Neural Science, New York University. Mentor: David Heeger.

Primary projects: quantification of distortion and SNR in high resolution functional brain imaging at 3T; surround suppression in V1 (psychophysical and functional imaging investigation).

Jan - May 2004 Research associate, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research. Mentor: Kamil Ugurbil.

Main project: determination of point spread function for gradient and spin echo BOLD fMRI at 7T.

1999 – 2003 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Neuroscience and Center for Magnetic Resonance Research. Primary laboratory work: high field functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans (7.0T, Varian console, and 3T Siemens system) and cats (9.4 Tesla magnet, Varian console); computational modeling of population responses in primary visual cortex and hemodynamic response.

Course Coordinator/Instructor: BPhy 8293, Applied MR Physics (Fall 2003), NSci 4151, Advanced Topics for upper level neuroscience undergraduate students (Spring 2002, 2003), and Psyc 8036, fMRI and Vision Seminar (Spring 2003).

Teaching Assistant: NSci 3105, undergraduate lab course (Fall 2000), and NSci 6111, neuroanatomy lab for medical students (Spring 2001).

Other professional experience

1996 – 1999 Research Physicist, Fiber Optics Laboratory, 3M Company, St. Paul, MN

Developed and implemented optical measurement techniques for devices ranging from neon alternative fiber optics to parallel fiber optic connectors. Researched novel methods of manufacturing for both large core plastic fiber optics and traditional communication fibers. Developed and installed prototype products, earning multi-million dollar contract (technical project leader). Generated two patent applications. Supervised summer students and technicians.

1995 – 1996 Research Physicist, PhotoControl, Minneapolis, MN
Part time lens design and manufacturing quality control for photoprinting manufacturing company.

Summer 1995 Volunteer, Dagbani Literacy Project with Summer Institute of Linguistics, Ghana, West Africa.

Publications and intellectual property

Refereed Journal Articles:

Olman CA, Kersten DJ (2004). Classification objects, ideal observers & generative models. Cognitive Science 28:227-239.

Olman CA, Schrater P, Ugurbil K, and Kersten DJ (2004). BOLD fMRI and psychophysical measurements of contrast response to broadband images. Vision Research 44:669-683.

Kim D-S, Ronen I, Olman C, Kim SG, Ugurbil K, Toth LJ (2004). Spatial relationship between neuronal activity and BOLD functional MRI. Neuroimage. 21(3):876-85.

Olman CA, Ronen I, Ugurbil K, Kim D-S (2003). Retinotopic mapping in cat visual cortex using high field functional magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 131:161-170.

Published Abstracts:

Olman CA, Van de Moortele P-F, Ugurbil K. Point spread function for gradient echo and spin echo BOLD fMRI at 7 Tesla (poster presentation). Published in Proceedings of the 12th Annual Conference and Exhibition, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Kyoto (May, 2004).

Olman CA, Ugurbil K, Kersten D (2004). The role of feature density in determining V1 BOLD fMRI sensitivity to spatial phase structure (poster presentation). Vision Sciences Society meeting, Sarasota, FL (May, 2004). Published in Journal of Vision 4(8):544a.

Improved detection of bilateral visual activity in ventrolateral temporal cortex at 7 Tesla using z-shim technique (poster presentation). C. A. Olman, G. Adriany, K. Ugurbil & P. Van de Moortele. Published in Proceedings of the 11th Annual Conference and Exhibition, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Toronto (July, 2003).

Olman CA, Ugurbil K, Kersten D (2003). Effects of image structure on perceivd contrast and cortical activity in early visual areas (oral presentation). Vision Sciences Society meeting, Sarasota, FL (May, 2003). Published in Journal of Vision 3(9):47a

Matching the model. C. A. Vrieze and D. J. Lundin. Transactions of the Society for Automotive Engineering, 1998 International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, MI. Paper #980876 (February, 1998).

Publications in Development:

Olman CA, Inati S, Davachi L. High resolution fMRI in medial temporal lobe: severity of image distortion and signal loss. Anticipated submission December 2004.

Olman CA, Inati S, Heeger D. Localization of early visual responses with BOLD fMRI at 3T: dependence on voxel size. Anticipated submission December 2004.

Murray SO, Olman CA, Kersten DJ. Spatially specific repetition effects in human visual cortex. Under review, J. Neurophysiology, as of November 2004.

Patents for optical devices, assigned to 3M Company, St. Paul, Minnesota:

U.S. Patent No. 6123442: Articles with diffuse reflection of light from light fibers (issued September 26, 2000)

U.S. Patent Application No. 20010036336: Method and apparatus for adjusting flux emitted from branched light guides (application filed June 5, 2001).

Active memberships in professional organizations

International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Society for Neuroscience

Vision ScienceS Society

Awards

University of Minnesota Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship ($15.5k academic year stipend, 2003/2004)

Student Stipend, ISMRM 10^th and 11^th Scientific Meetings (2002 and 2003)

American Legion Brain Sciences Fellowship - $5,000 scholarship (April, 2001)

Academic and Community service

- Admissions Committee, (Fall 2000 – Spring 2002).

- Organizational Committee for Visual Processing of Natural Images Symposium at University of Minnesota (April, 2002).

- Student leadership, Graduate Program in Neuroscience: Spring Retreat Committee (March 2002), spearheaded creation of Fall Student Meeting (annual meeting to introduce new students and formalize election process for representatives to standing faculty committees).

- Community involvement, GPN: Brain Awareness Week (elementary school outreach every February, 2000 – 2003), State Fair Volunteer (Neuroscience table in Educational building, 2002).