Qualifications

Dr Sarah Waugh was awarded her professional Optometry qualification from the Queensland University of Technology in 1983 (formerly the Queensland Institute of Technology), winning both academic and clinical prizes. She completed a clinical Masters degree at The University of Melbourne, with support from a Martin Wells Postgraduate Scholarship. and a PhD (Physiological Optics) from the University of Houston, being awarded distinction during qualification. These studies were supported by a Departmental Research Scholarship and NIH Research Grants. Post-doctoral research experiences include a NSERC funded position at the McGill Vision Research Unit, McGill University, a summer Faculty appointment at the University of Houston, and an Australian Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, funded by the Australian Research Council and taken up in the Psychology Department at The University of Melbourne. This prestigious research fellowship was relinquished to take up a Lectureship in the Department of Vision Science at Aston University.

Sarah joined Anglia Ruskin University at the beginning of 2001 as a Reader in Optometry. Sarah's principle research interests are in Spatial Vision and Amblyopia. Her clinical and clinical-research interests are in Paediatric and Binocular Vision and in Primary Care Optometry. Research interests are also now developing in visual electrophysiology, in collaboration with Vision Science at Addenbrooke's hospital.

Teaching Experience

Dr Waugh has extensive experience of teaching Optometry students in the USA, Australia and the UK at the undergraduate level in Vision Science, clinical Binocular Vision and Paediatrics, and Investigative Techniques. She currently holds a visiting clinical/teaching appointment in the Paediatric Ophthalmology Clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In addition, she supervises postgraduate research students studying for MPhil and PhD degrees.

Dr Waugh obtained her Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning from Aston University in 2000 and has been a Member of the Higher Education Academy (formerly Institute of Learning and Teaching) since 2001.

Sarah is currently Module Leader for:

• Monocular, Binocular and Paediatric Vision (EG230001D)
• Undergraduate Major Project (EG330998D)

and also contributes to teaching in

• Clinical Optometry 2 (EG245001D)

Research

Dr Waugh is the Director of Anglia Vision Research, a University-recognised Research Group. She supervises postgraduate research students and is also Departmental Research Co-ordinator. She has competitively received independent research funding from research agencies including the Australian Research Council (Research Fellowship and Project Grant), the Royal Society (Conference Grant), The College of Optometrists (Summer Research Scholarships) The Nuffield Foundation (Nuffield Science Bursary) and The Wellcome Trust (Travel Grant). She is a reviewer for several Vision journals (including Vision Research, Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, Spatial Vision, Perception and the Journal of Optics A) and funding agencies (including BBSRC, EPSRC, The Wellcome Trust and The Finnish Academy of Science).

Her principal areas of research interest are:

• Processing of luminance-defined and contrast-defined images
• Amblyopia and anomalous spatial vision
• Spatial localisation; contour interaction and crowding; spatial acuities
• Visual electrophysiology (ERGs and VEPs) in normal and anomalous vision
• Clinical optometry, particularly relating to normal and anomalous binocular vision and paediatric vision

Recent Publications

Waugh S J, (2007) Masks reveal processing time for alignment across space Vision Research. 47 2305-2313.

Sukumar S, Waugh S J, (2007) Separate first- and second-order processing is supported by spatial summation estimates at the fovea and eccentrically. Vision Research 47, 581-596.

Siderov J, Chiu S & Waugh S J, (2001) Differences in the nearpoint of convergence with target type. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 21 356-360.

Waugh S J, Levi D M, (2000) Spatial scale of visual analysis for vernier acuity does not vary over time. Vision Research 40, 163-171.

D.M. Levi and S.J. Waugh (1996) Position acuity with opposite contrast polarity features: evidence for a nonlinear collator mechanism for position acuity? Vision Research 36, 573-588.

R.F. Hess, S.J. Waugh and K. Nordby (1996) Rod temporal channels. Vision Research 36, 613-619.

S.J. Waugh and D.M. Levi (1995) Spatial alignment across gaps: contributions of orientation and spatial scale. Feature Issue: Clinical Vision and Visual Optics. Journal of the Optical Society of America A 12, 2305-2317.

R.J. Snowden, R.F. Hess and S.J. Waugh (1995) The processing of temporal modulation at different levels of retinal illuminance. Vision Research 35, 775-789.

D.M. Levi, S.J. Waugh and B.L. Beard (1994) Spatial scale shifts in amblyopic vision. Vision Research 34, 3315-3333.

D.M. Levi and S.J. Waugh (1994) Spatial scale shifts in peripheral vernier acuity. Vision Research 34, 2215-2238.

S.J. Waugh and R.F. Hess (1994) Suprathreshold temporal-frequency discrimination in the fovea and the periphery. Journal of the Optical Society of America A 11, 1199-1212.

S.J. Waugh, D.M. Levi and T. Carney (1993) Orientation, masking and vernier acuity for line targets. Vision Research 33, 1619-1638.

S.J. Waugh and D.M. Levi (1993) Visibility and vernier acuity for separated targets. Vision Research 33, 539-551.

S.J. Waugh and D.M. Levi (1993) Visibility, luminance and vernier acuity. Vision Research 33, 527-538.

S.J. Waugh and D.M. Levi (1993) Visibility, timing and vernier acuity. Vision Research 33, 505-526.

S.J. Waugh and H.E. Bedell (1993) Congenital nystagmus mechanism: reply. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 34, 282-284.

S.J. Waugh and H.E. Bedell (1992) Sensitivity to temporal luminance modulation in congenital nystagmus. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 33, 2316-2324.

Recent Conference Abstracts

Waugh S J, Hairol M I, (2008) Detecting overlapping luminance-defined and contrast-defined stimuli: Cue combination for better detection?, Journal of Vision, 8, 269a.

Hairol M I, Waugh S J, (2008) Cross-talk between luminance-defined and contrast-defined detection processing revealed by asymmetric lateral spatial interactions . Journal of Vision 8 268a

Waugh S J, (2007) Facilitation for the detection of luminance-defined and contrast-defined blobs, Perception (Supplement) 36 43

Sukumar S, Waugh S J, (2005) Lateral spatial interactions for the detection of luminance-defined and contrast-defined blobs, at the fovea and in the periphery. Journal of Vision 5 182a

Siderov J, James L., Sandhu M, & Waugh S J, (2005) The influence of surround complexity on Sheridan-Gardiner letter acuity, Optometry and Vision Science, 82(12s)

Sukumar S, Waugh S J, (2004) Eccentricity effects on spatial alignment for luminance-defined and contrast-defined blob stimuli. Journal of Vision 4 786a

Siderov J, Miller P, Murray A, & Waugh S J (2004) Contour interaction with picture optotypes. Perception, 33 (supplement): 178b.

Siderov J, Waugh S J, Chiu S C, Chauhan S, Hybel J, Miller P, & Murray A. (2004) Contour interaction with children's visual acuity tests. Optometry and Vision Science 81(12s)

Sukumar S, Waugh S J, (2003) Spatial extent and eccentricity effects for detection of luminance-defined and contrast-defined blob stimuli. Journal of Vision 3 347a

S.J. Waugh and D.R. Badcock (1998) A common pathway for spatial localisation of luminance-defined and contrast-defined blobs. European Conference on Visual Perception, Oxford, England. Perception Supplement 27, 802.

S.J. Waugh (1998) Masks reveal temporal processing of position. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 39, S622.

S.J. Waugh (1998) Temporal processing of spatial alignment information across gaps. Applied Vision Association Christmas Meeting, Aston University, Birmingham. Perception 27, 245.

Theses

S.J. Waugh (1991) Visibility and Vernier acuity. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Houston.

S.J. Waugh (1986) The value of measuring CA/C and rapid prism adaptation clinically. Master's Thesis, The University of Melbourne.