David Foster

Prof. Foster’s distinguished career epitomizes the multidisciplinary nature of vision research. It began at Imperial College, London where he studied physics and went on to do a Ph.D. in vision with W. D. Wright in the Applied Optics Section. He subsequently held posts at Imperial College (Department of Physics), Keele University (Department of Communication and Neuroscience), Aston University (Department of Vision Sciences), and the University of Manchester (initially in the Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Optometry and Neuroscience). He is currently Professor of Vision Systems and Director of Research in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester.He is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and the Optical Society of America.

Prof. Foster’s research has advanced our understanding of colour vision for over 35 years. His studies of colour constancy report landmark discoveries. The breadth of his contributions includes work on rod-cone interactions, colour vision deficiency, colour perception of natural scenes and hyperspectral imaging. In addition to his own research, he has tirelessly nurtured the entire field of visual science, most notably as a co-founder and longtime editor-in-chief of Spatial Vision and as an editor, senior editor and since 2013 the editor-in-chief of Vision Research.