Welcome!
The Neural Engineering Research Division (NERD) at Mississippi State University supports researchers who want to measure, synchronize, and interpret human neurophysiology in real experimental contexts. NERD is housed in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, but our work is intentionally cross-disciplinary, with collaborations spanning engineering, psychology, philosophy, CAVS, HPC2, NSPARC, industry, and other partners across campus and beyond.
What we do
NERD provides access to instrumentation and expertise for human neurophysiology and behavior research, with an emphasis on practical, experiment-ready setups:
- High-density EEG acquisition using a BioSemi ActiveTwo 64-channel EEG system for research-grade electroencephalography recordings.
- Psychophysiology sensing, including galvanic skin response (GSR/EDA/SCR) via BioSemi-compatible sensors.
- Mobile eye tracking using the Pupil Labs Pupil Core system for gaze and eye-movement measurement in naturalistic tasks.
- Portable neuroimaging options with the MUSE S Athena EEG + fNIRS headband, supporting studies that need mobility or rapid deployment.
- Synchronized multimodal recording, including 64-channel EEG with synchronous ECG and GSR, enabling integrated nervous system and autonomic physiology datasets.
- Experiment planning and execution support, including study design consultation and implementation support for cognitive neuroscience, psychophysiology, and brain-computer interface oriented projects.
Mission and approach
NERD’s mission is to advance neuroscience through fundamental research while developing innovative neural solutions. We focus on work at the intersection of engineering, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence, and we use modern computational tools (including machine learning and VR paradigms) to help researchers move from “we recorded signals” to “we learned something real.”
History and growth
NERD’s current footprint at MSU grew out of a deliberate push to expand neural engineering research and infrastructure within ABE and the broader campus research ecosystem. The lab’s leadership and program development accelerated with Dr. David Vandenheever’s arrival at MSU in Fall 2021, building capacity for EEG-centered research, collaboration, and student training.
Who we serve
We support MSU investigators, external academic collaborators, and industry partners looking to run rigorous human neurophysiology studies, especially when projects require high-quality recordings, multi-sensor synchronization, and practical experimental implementation rather than purely theoretical planning.
David Vandenheever Associate Professor
| Hours | Location |
|
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm |
130 Creelman Street Mississippi State, Mississippi, 39762 |
| Name | Role | Phone | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Vandenheever |
Associate Professor
|
(662) 325-1978
|
davidvdh@abe.msstate.edu
|
