Anna Ma-Wyatt

Professor Anna Ma-Wyatt

Professor

School of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Prof Anna Ma-Wyatt was trained in experimental psychology, behavioural neuroscience and vision science, and her career has evolved to now focus on active vision and human-autonomy teaming. She is a recognised expert in human vision (especially eye movements and goal directed movement) and human-autonomy teaming.

In 2021, Prof Ma-Wyatt became the inaugural co-Director of CROSSING, the first French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) International Research Lab (IRL) in Australia. Its topic is humans-autonomous agents teaming, and it is a partnership between CNRS, the University of Adelaide, IMT-Atlantique, Flinders University, UniSA and Naval Group.

Prof Ma-Wyatt took on the role of Digi+ Academic Lead in 2023 for the FAME Research Strategy at the University of Adelaide. Her portfolio includes missions in Critical minerals, information capability, space, autonomous systems and quantum materials.

In 2024, she was appointed the Director of Astronaut-autonomy teaming in the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources at the University of Adelaide.

Prof Ma-Wyatt also holds a number of advisory and governance positions in the university and industry sectors. She is the past President of the Australasian Experimental Psychology Society (2024). She sits on the Advisory Board for the Workforce, Innovation and Culture stream for Defence Trailblazer and is also on the steering committee for the Centre for Advanced Defence Research in Robotics and Autonomous systems.

Active Vision Lab Team:
Prof Ma-Wyatt is very fortunate to have a very talented team of postdoctoral fellows and PhD students working with her. Please check out their profiles below.

We study how people use visual information to guide eye and hand movements as they interact with the world. We investigate how people represent visual space to plan and update these movements, how attention is deployed and updated during these movements, and how these representations change with visual field loss and healthy ageing.

We partner with industry to understand how to leverage human performance for the design and assessment of human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and next generation concepts for human-AI interaction and human-autonomy teaming. Our approach is multidisciplinary, and brings together expertise in AI, machine learning, engineering, maths as well as human factors.

  1. Ma-Wyatt, A., Abbasnejad, E., Roughan, M., Debusschere, V., Hadjisaid, N., and Diguet, J. (2024-2026): Human-Centred AI Solutions for Trustworthy and Resilient Management of Complex Energy Systems French-Australian Centre for Energy Transition $358 912
  2. Ma-Wyatt, A. and White, L. (2024): Modelling, Monitoring and Moderating Human-AI Interaction extension Defence Science and Technology Group, $234 776
  3. Ma-Wyatt, A. and White, L. (2021-2023): Modelling, Monitoring and Moderating Human-AI Interaction Defence-AI research network, $891 000.
  4. APC Technology, Ma-Wyatt, A and Banks, S (2021-2022): Solutions for light pollution from console displays on naval platforms Defence Innovation Partnership $131 738
  5. Ma-Wyatt, A., Diguet, J-P. Shi,J., White,L., Banks,S., Reid, I., Buche,C.,Rauffet, P.and Mais C. (2021-2023): Multimodal and real-time monitoring of humans with a hybrid team Centre Nationale de Recherche Scientifique/ Defence Innovation Agency, France  approx.. $AUD 125 000 (award in euros)
  6. Ma-Wyatt, A, Thewlis, D., Wiederman, S., Palmer, E. and Cook, S. (2020-2023): Information systems while moving and interacting with the environment.(2 projects) Australian Army/Defence Science and Technology Group, $1 150 000.
  7.  Ma-Wyatt, A. Fidock, J., Badcock, D., Nicholls, M., McKendrick, A., Banks, S. (2018-2019):  Realising the benefit of augmented reality devices in military applications. Defence Innovation Partnership Collaborative Research Grant $150 000
  8. Ma-Wyatt, A, Webb, M  and Jerram, C. (2018-2022): Human factors assessment BAE Systems  approx. $350 000
  9. Ma-Wyatt, A, Coppin, G, White, L., Shi, J., Ramasinghe, D., Garg, R and Latif, Y., Wiederman, S. (2017-2018): Human and robotic vision: from scene understanding to augmentation University of Adelaide Brittany Scholarships $67 000
  10. Coppin, G and Ma-Wyatt, A (2018) Human and robotic vision: from scene understanding to augmentation workshop French-Australia Science and Innovation collaboration Grant $31 000 This funding was for a workshop between the University of Adelaide and Lab STICC. We received an additional $18 000 funding from the State Government of South Australia and Brittany region to support travel costs.
  11. Ma-Wyatt, A. (2017-2019): An investigation of alternative HMIs for teleoperation and supervisory control of robotic land vehicles under simulated motion ITC-PAC RDECOM program, United States Department of Defense USD $108 000 (approx $154 000)
  12. Renninger, L, Ma-Wyatt, A and Fletcher, D (2013-2016): Reaching with central field loss National Eye Institute RO1 grant, National Institutes of Health $USD 1 036 363 
  13. Ma-Wyatt, A & Semmler, C (2010) Improving human operator capability for face biometric identification and recognition. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Research Support for National Security $70 000
  14. M Ridding, J Pitcher, N Burns, R Casson, V Clifton, G Dekker, J Dodd, J Kennedy, M Makrides, M Nordstrom, A Ma-Wyatt, T Nettlebeck, P Rolan, J Semmler, M Stark, G Wittert. (2010) A fully integrated EEG, EMG, evoked potentials and transcranial magnetic stimulation neuronavigation system for comprehensive neurodevelopmental follow-up, neuroplasticity and neurocognitive studies in humans. NH & MRC Equipment grant $135 000
  15. Ma-Wyatt, A,  Avolio, A Lim and S Schumack (2009). The effect of image characteristics on diagnostic outcome in teledermatology. F. & E. Bauer Research Award, Australasian College of Dermatologists $10 000
  16. Brewer, N., Young, R., Weber, N., Ma-Wyatt, A., Semmler, C., McKinnon, R. (2008) A multi-function eye-tracking facility ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities Grant $120 000 
  17. Ma-Wyatt, A (2008): Windows on Science Award. United States Airforce Research Laboratory. 1 of approximately 12 awarded in Australia across all disciplines $USD 5 000
  18. Ma-Wyatt, A. (2003-2006): Rachel C. Atkinson Fellowship at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, USA $USD 150 000

Foundations of Perception and Cognition - 2nd year. Lecturer (2006-2021)

Perception and Cognition - 3rd year. Lecturer. (2006-2023)

Human Factors - Masters . Course coordinator and lecturer (2006-2024)

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2025 Principal Supervisor Exploring Human-Robot Interaction as a Collaborative Model for One-to-Many Teaming in Aerospace Environments Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Donna Lee Duffy
    2025 Co-Supervisor Formulating Lunar Ore Reserves Standards 101 (LORS-101): A Framework for Sustainable and Responsible Lunar Resource Extraction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Camille Bitton
    2023 Co-Supervisor Extended Reality in Human-Robot interactions for Lunar Habitat Design and Construction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Albert Rajkumar
    2022 Principal Supervisor The Effect of Information Displays and Associated Latencies on Aspects of Human Performance Including Cognition, Perception, and Locomotion Biomechanics Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Lucy Jane Turner
    2022 Co-Supervisor Iterative decision-making with ethical considerations Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr Vincent Bebien
    2021 Principal Supervisor How do we use visual information while walking? Implications for the use of virtual
    and augmented reality devices for training and deployment.    		 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Marlon Blencowe
    2018 Co-Supervisor Biometrics and Virtual Reality (VR) for Situation Awareness (SA) Assessment and Training Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Steven Alan Cook

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2018 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Age-related changes to sensorimotor control during increases in task complexity Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Adam James Georgiou
    2017 - 2018 Principal Supervisor The importance of incorporating researcher beliefs into statistical models Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Lauren Ashlee Kennedy
    2017 - 2018 Principal Supervisor From Simple to Complex Categories: How Structure and Label Information Guides the Acquisition of Category Knowledge Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Wai Keen Vong
    2015 - 2020 Principal Supervisor The Online Control of Visually Guided Movement across the Lifespan Doctor of Philosophy with Master of Psychology (Organisational and Human Factors) Doctorate Full Time Miss Jessica Lee O'Rielly
    2010 - 2016 Principal Supervisor A Journey Through Time and Space: The Spatiotemporal Profile of Attention Relative to Saccade and Reach Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Emma Elizabeth Marshall Stewart
    2009 - 2015 Co-Supervisor The Structure of Sequential Effects Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Dinis Sequeira Do Couto Gokaydin
    2009 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Task Parameters Shape Goal Directed Movement Performance Under Dual Task Conditions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Heidi Dorothy Long
    2008 - 2014 Co-Supervisor State-Trace Analysis of Associative Recognition:
    Comparing Single-Process and Dual-Process Models    		 Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Nicholas Francis Hamm
    2007 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Response latencies to chromatic and achromatic visual stimuli Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Adam Kane
    2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor A Graded-Embodied Theory Account for the Processing of Emotional Stimuli. The Case of Sentences, Images, and Faces Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Fernando Marmolejo Ramos
    2007 - 2013 Co-Supervisor From the Laboratory to the Real World: Evaluating the Impact of Impostors, Expertise and Individual Differences on Human Face Matching Performance Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Dragana Calic

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2014 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Age-related changes to sensorimotor control The University of Adelaide Masters of Psychology (Organisational and Human Factors)/PhD Doctorate Full Time Jessica O'Rielly

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2006 - ongoing Member Vision Sciences Society United States

  • Offices Held
    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Co-Director CNRS IRL CROSSING France
    2014 - ongoing Convenor Brain and Cognition Unit, School of Psychology Australia
    2013 - 2013 President Australian Experimental Psychology Society Australia
  • Position: Professor
  • Phone: 83135660
  • Email: anna.mawyatt@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83133770
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Hughes, floor 5
  • Org Unit: School of Psychology
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