2025-05-08/09 Recap of Lingnan University's Second Successful International Conference on Cognitive Science
Recently, we had the pleasure of attending the second annual “ Neurocognitive Pathways: Understanding Perception and Social Processing in the brain” conference, hosted by the Cognitive Science Group and the Department of Psychology in Lingnan University. This Hong Kong based conference was held at the same picturesque location as last year (Lingnan University Space at M+), with attendees were treated to stunning views of the harbour. This year’s conference was extended to two days, a testament to its growing success and the increasing number of scholars and professors eager to present their research.
The conference commenced with welcoming speeches from Prof. Will Hayward, the Dean of the Social Science Faculty, and Prof. Siu Oi Ling, the Head of Department of Psychology. Their words set an inspiring tone for the event, acknowledging the importance of the gathering and the exciting discussions that awaited us.
The morning session was dedicated to social neuroscience, featuring three riveting presentations. Prof. Xiaoqing Hu from University of Hong Kong kicked things off with a fascinating exploration of memory editing during sleep. Prof. Rongjun Yu from Hong Kong Baptist University followed with insights into the neural science of Machiavellianism, while Dr. Jie Hu from East China Normal University delved into deconstructing the dynamic of altruistic decision-making.
A new addition to this year’s conference was a short presentation session for undergraduate and postgraduate students, aimed at encouraging young scholars and providing them a taste of the academic presentation experience. Students from various universities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area showcased their impressive works in tightly timed segments of three minutes, followed by a two-minute Q&A. This fast-paced and competitive format added an exciting edge to conclude the morning session and was a delight for all who attended. The students rose to the occasion, delivering fantastic talks that impressed professors and peers alike. The best student presentation award went to Richard Tian, a PhD student from HKUST.
After a fruitful lunch break, the afternoon session shifted focus to perception, with four presentations lined up. Our first keynote speaker, Prof. Isabel Gauthier from Vanderbilt University, provided deep insights into whether there is a domain-general object recognition. This was followed by Dr. Ayelet Sapir from University of Greenwich, who discussed 3D perception and ageing. After a refreshing coffee break, Prof. Jing Samantha Pan from Sun Yat-sen University captivated the audience with her talk on perception-action unity. The final keynote speaker of the day, Prof. Pascal Mamassian from Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris, closed the session with an engaging presentation on distinguishing serial from parallel processing in visual confidence judgments
The day concluded with Will offering his final words, perfectly wrapping up an exhilarating day of academic exchange.
The second day of the conference continued despite heavy rain, at our main campus. The day’s presentations were equally engrossing. Charles Leek from University of Southampton discussed the association of COVID-19 and global cognitive impairment in post hospitalisation patients, shedding light on timely and critical issues. Dr. Luyan Ji from Guangzhou University followed with a presentation on two faces of holistic face processing, and finally, Prof. Haiyang Jin from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University concluded with an enlightening talk on automatic ensemble coding of multiple facial expressions.
In summary, the conference was a resounding success, marked by insightful presentations, dynamic discussions, and meaningful networking. Here’s to the continued growth and success of this conference—looking forward to next year’s gathering!