Paul Sajda

Paul Sajda

Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Professor of Radiology (Physics); Professor of Electrical Engineering; Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Paul Sajda is interested in what happens in our brains when we make a rapid decision and, conversely, what processes and representations in our brains drive our underlying preferences and choices, particularly when we are under time pressure.

His work in understanding the basic principles of rapid decision-making in the human brain relies on measuring human subject behavior simultaneously with cognitive and physiological state. 

Important in his approach is his use of machine learning and data analytics to fuse these measurements for predicting behavior and infer brain responses to stimuli.  Sajda applies the basic principles he uncovers to construct real-time brain-computer interfaces that are aimed at improving interactions between humans and machines. He is also applying his methodology to understand how deficits in rapid decision-making may underlie and be diagnostic of many types of psychiatric diseases and mental illnesses.

Of particular interest to Sajda is how different areas in the human brain interact to change our arousal state and modulate our decision-making. Specifically he is using simultaneous EEG and fMRI together with pupillometry to identify and track spatiotemporal interactions between the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and subcortical nuclei such as the locus coeruleus. He has found that the dynamics of these interactions are altered under stress, particularly when dealing with high-pressure decisions with critical performance boundaries.  These findings are being transitioned to applications ranging from tracking the cognitive state of pilots while operating fighter aircraft to identifying biomarkers of healthy thought patterns in patients being treated for major depressive disorders and/or complicated grief. Sajda has co-founded several neurotechnology companies and works closely with a range of scientists and engineers, including neuroscientists, psychologists, computer scientists, and clinicians. 

Sajda received a BS in electrical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1989 and an MSE and PhD in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, in 1992 and 1994, respectively. He is a fellow of the IEEE, AIMBE, and AAAS.

Research Areas

  • Neuroengineering
  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Biosignals
  • Biomedical Image Analysis
  • Brain-Machine Interfaces
  • Personalized Medicine and Patient-specific Modeling
  • Wearable Devices
  • Signal Processing
  • Brain-Computer Interfaces

Additional Information

  • Professional Affiliations
    • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
    • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
    • Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
    • Member, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
    • Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
    • Member, Association for Computing Machinery
    • Member, Society for Neuroscience
  • Honors & Awards
    • Elected Fellow of IAMBE, 2023
    • DoD Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellow, 2019
    • Elected Fellow of the AAAS, 2016
    • Elected Fellow of the IEEE, 2012
    • Elected editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 2011
    • Elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering  (AIMBE), 2009
    • Awarded Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship, 2008
    • National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2002
    • Sarnoff Technical Achievement Award, 1996
  • Professional Experience
    • Chair, Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 2023-
    • Vice Chair, Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 2020-2023
    • Visiting professor, University of Glasgow, 2015-
    • Professor of biomedical engineering, Electrical Engineering and Radiology, Columbia University, 2012-
    • Member, Graduate Group, Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, 2008-
    • Visiting scientist, RIKEN Brain Sciences Institute, JAPAN, 2008
    • Director, Laboratory for Intelligent Imaging and Neural Engineering (LIINC), Columbia University, 2000-
    • Associate professor of biomedical engineering and radiology, Columbia University, 2000-2012
    • Head, Adaptive Image & Signal Processing Group, Sarnoff Research Center, 1997-2000
    • Technology leader, Adaptive Image & Signal Processing, Sarnoff Research Center, 1996-1997
    • Member of technical staff, Sarnoff Research Center, 1994-1996