Sharon Wood

Senior Lecturer in Computer Science
and Artificial Intelligence 

Cognitive and Agent Based Modelling Lab
Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems Group
Department of Informatics
University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9QH
UK

Telephone: +44 (0) 1273 678857
Fax:       +44 (0) 1273 877873
Email:     s.wood@sussex.ac.uk

Research Interests

My main research interests are in: The main thrust of my work is the use of computational modelling in order to understand human decision-making. This entails understanding human cognition spanning psychophysical processes and their limitations to higher level, cognitively based, complex knowledge-based reasoning. The particular focus of this work has largely been decision-making processes for purposeful, goal-driven behaviour from a bounded, rational agent perspective.

My past and current research exemplifies these interests in a range of contexts:

Opportunities for Doctoral Research

Enquiries regarding applying for doctoral research in any of the above areas should be directed to s.wood@sussex.ac.uk

Funded PhD places are available in the Department of Informatics, University of Sussex. Studentships are available in various areas of Computer Science, AI and Cognitive Science including any of the areas described above. For further details, including how to apply, see here.

Some Relevant Publications

2013

Bissett, S., Wood, S., Cox, R., Scott, D. and Cassell, J. (2013) Calculating alcohol risk in a visualization tool for promoting healthy behavior. Patient Education and Counselling, Vol. 92, pp. 167-173.

Limerick, H. and Wood, S. (2013) A Preliminary Study in Modeling Bilateral Components of Attention. In R. West & T. Stewart (eds.), Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, July 2013, pp374-5.

Ellick, W., Mirza-Babaei, P., Smith, D., Wood, S. and Nacke, L.E. (2013) Assessing User Preferences of Video Game Controller Button Settings, CHI 2013 Works-in-Progress, Paris, France, 27 April - 2 May 2013.

2012

De Obeso Orendain, A. and Wood, S. (2012). An Account of Cognitive Flexibility and Inflexibility for a Complex Dynamic Task, In N. Rußwinkel, U. Drewitz & H. van Rijn (eds.), Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling, Berlin: Universitaetsverlag der TU Berlin, April 2012, pp44-54. [PDF]

2011

Kniveton, D., Smith, C. and Wood, S. (2011) Agent-based model simulations of future changes in migration flows for Burkina Faso. Global Environmental Change, Vol. 21S, pp. S34 - S40.

Bissett, S. Wood, S., Cox, R., Scott, D. and Cassell, J. (2011) Calculating Alcohol Risk in a Visualisation Tool for Promoting Healthy Behaviour. Proceedings of the AAAI Spring Symposium on AI and Health Communication, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA., 21-23 March, 2011. [PDF]

2010

Smith, C., Wood, S. and Kniveton, D. (2010) Agent Based Modelling of Migration Decision-Making. Proceedings of the European Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems (EUMAS-2010). [PDF] 16-17 December, 2010, Paris, France.

De Obeso Orendain, A. and Wood, S. (2010). Cognitive Modeling of Strategies in Dynamic Tasks, In D. D. Salvucci & G. Gunzelmann (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling, Philadelphia, USA: Drexel University. pp43-48. [PDF]

2009

Hussain, F. and Wood, S. (2009). Computational Modeling of Deficits in Attentional Networks in mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Application in Neuropsychology. In N. A. Taatgen & H. van Rijn (Eds.), Proceedings of 31th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Amsterdam, NL, July 2009, pp2675-2680. [PDF]

Hussain, F. and Wood, S. (2009). Modeling the Performance of Children on the Attentional Network Test. In A. Howes, D. Peebles, R. Cooper (Eds.), 9th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling – ICCM09, July 2009, Manchester, UK: University of Manchester, pp211-216. [PDF]

Hussain, F. and Wood, S. (2009) Modelling the Efficiencies and Interactions of Attentional Networks. In Paletta, L., and Tsotsos, J.K. Eds., Attention in Cognitive Systems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science - LNAI 5395, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, pp139-152. [PDF]

2008

Hussain, F and Wood, S (2008) Modelling Attentional Networks: The Modulation Effects and Simulation of Alzheimer’s Disease. Members Abstract, Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Cognitive Science (CogSci08), Washington D.C., July 2008. [PDF]

Hussain, F and Wood, S (2008) A Cognitive Model of Attentional Networks. Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Cognitive Science, Moscow, Russia, June 2008. [PDF]

Hussain, F and Wood, S (2008) Modelling the Efficiencies and Interactions of Attentional Networks. Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Attention in Cognitive Systems (WAPCV08), Santorini, Greece, May 2008, pp110-123. [PDF]

Smith, C., Kniveton, D., Wood, S., and Black, R. (2008) Predictive Modelling. Forced Migration Review, Issue 31, pp58-9. [PDF]

Smith, C., Kniveton, D., Black, R. and Wood, S. (2008) Climate Change, Migration and Agent-Based Modelling . Unpublished full text version of edited script in: Forced Migration Review Special Issue; Climate change and environmental displacement; FMR 31; September 2008. [PDF]

2007

Cheng, PCH, Wood, S, and Cox, R (2007) Dimensions of Attentional Processing. Proceedings of the UBIComp Workshop on Attention Management in Ubiquitous Computing Environments, Innsbruck, Austria, September 2007. [PDF]

2006

Wood, S, Cox, R and Cheng, PCH (2006) Attention Design: Eight issues to consider. Computers in Human Behavior. Special issue: Attention-aware systems, 22(4), 588-602.[PDF]

2004

Wood, S (2004) Representation and Purposeful Autonomous Agents. Special Issue on Knowledge Representation and Ontology for Autonomous Systems, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 49 (2004) 79-90. [PDF]
Erratum version of paper published in Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 51 (2005) 217-228.

Wood, S (2004) Representation and Purposeful Autonomous Agents. Proceedings of AAAI Spring Symposium on Knowledge Representation and Ontology for Autonomous Systems. Stanford University, CA, March 22-24 2004. [PDF]

Wood, S, Cox, R and Cheng, PCH (2004) Attention Design: Seven issues to consider. Proceedings of the HCI 2004 Workshop on Designing for Attention, Leeds, UK, September, 2004. [PDF]

2003

Grob, J and Wood S (2003) Modelling Typical Alphabetic Analogical Reasoning, Proceedings of the European Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Osnabruck, September 10-13 2003. [PDF]

Grob, J and Wood S (2003) Modelling Typical Alphabetic Analogical Reasoning in ACT-R, Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Cognitive Modelling, Bamberg, Germany, April 10-12 2003 [PDF]

Wood, S (2003) Attentional Shift and Enactive Perception in Purposeful Agents, Proceedings of 7th Annual Conference of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section of The British Psychological Society on Enactive Consciousness, Perception, Intersubjectivity and Empathy, St Anne's College, Oxford, June 28-29 2003. [Abstract] [Slides]

2001

Stewart, T.C. and Wood, S. (2001). Conditioning and Concept Formation in Embodied Agents. Submitted to AAAI Spring Symposium in Learning Grounded Representations, Stanford Univ. March 2001.[PDF]

1990's

Wood, S (1998) A Probabilistic Network Approach to Prioritising Sensing and Reasoning, Proceedings AAAI Spring Symposium on Satisficing Models, March 1998

Wood, S (1997) Exploring Situational Modelling and Selective Perception, Proceedings of 16th Workshop of the UK Planning and Scheduling SIG, Durham University, December 1997

Wood, S (1995c) Linking Planning and Selective Perception, Proceedings of 14th Workshop of the UK Planning and Scheduling SIG, University of Essex, November 1995

Wood, S (1995a) When Being Reactive Just Won't Do, Proceedings AAAI Spring Symposium on Integrated Planning Applications, Stanford University, March 1995. [PS]

Wood, S (1995b) The Role of Plan Recognition in Reducing Situational Uncertainty and Directing Attention in Planning, Proceedings of IJCAI Workshop on The Next Generation of Plan Recognition Systems, Montreal, August 1995

Wood, S (1993) Planning and Decision Making in Dynamic Domains. Chichester: Ellis Horwood

Wood, S (1990) Planning in a Rapidly Changing Environment, DPhil thesis, University of Sussex (available as CSRP 157 (address above); also available as Wood(1993) above)

Research Students



Courses:

  • Current:
  • Past:

    Links:

    Updated: September 2011
    Email: s.wood@sussex.ac.uk