Biography
Trace Stay is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology department. He received a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at Brigham Young University, and then a PhD in Neuroscience from Baylor College of Medicine. He did a postdoc in neurobiology at Stanford University before joining BYU in 2023. Dr. Stay emphasizes that our perception of the world is constructed from our sensory input and past experience, so understanding biological responses to sensory stimuli helps us understand our own reality.
Research Interests
Dr. Stay's research focuses on sensorimotor processing, using the vestibular system as a model system. His research assistants in the Vestibular Research Lab use behavioral, electrophysiological, and optogenetic tools to study vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) adaptation, a form of motor skill memory, and principles that underlie motor adaptation generally. By examining signal transformations in the VOR circuit in mice, the lab hopes to clarify basic mechanisms of sensory processing that could one day be utilized for translational research and treatments for individuals suffering from vestibular ailments.
Classes Taught
Cognition (Psych 375)
Sensation and Perception (Psych 370)
Neurobiology (Neuro 205)
Behavioral Neuroscience (Neuro 460)