Associate Professor
Contact
E-mail: aherdman@audiospeech.ubc.ca
Dr. Anthony (Tony) Herdman is an Associate Professor in the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is also an Affiliate Investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and a member of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health.
Research
Dr. Herdman’s research program explores the brain dynamics underlying auditory and visual perception, audiovisual integration, attention, and language, using behavioral and electrophysiological measures such as electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Additionally, his work incorporates artificial intelligence to classify brain signals and generative AI to simulate these signals.
A key area of his research involves refining neuroimaging techniques to advance EEG and MEG methodologies. For instance, Dr. Herdman and his colleagues developed a method that improves accuracy of identifying neural network connectivity across the whole brain. Dr. Herdman also developed an open-source software, called SimMEEG, that simulates brain network activity for validating and improving such neuroimaging (EEG/MEG) techniques and analysis pipelines.
Another major focus of his research is studying auditory evoked responses to test hearing in adults and infants, particularly in collaboration with the BC Early Hearing Program (BCEHP). His ongoing research with BCEHP aims to improve hearing diagnostic approaches, ensuring early identification and interventions that enrich infant language development.
Teaching
Dr. Herdman is committed to graduate training in audiology and speech sciences, with a focus on advanced hearing sciences and electrophysiology. As part of his commitment to continuously improve training, he created SimHERA (Simulation of Human Evoked Response Audiometry) and SimHBA (Simulation of Human Behavioural Audiometry), innovative simulation-based educational software that enhances student learning in hearing sciences, auditory electrophysiology, behavioural audiometry. These training tools provide a controlled, interactive environment for students to practice clinical skills and apply their knowledge.
Service & Community Outreach
Dr. Herdman actively participates in service initiatives within UBC and works collaboratively with colleagues to support the university community. He is also highly engaged in community outreach, particularly through the BC Early Hearing Program (BCEHP) and Alberta Health Services (AHS), which provide province-wide hearing screening, diagnostic testing, and early intervention for infants with varying degrees of hearing ability.
Beyond his professional service, he is dedicated to public outreach and science education. He is the creator of “Brain Camp for Kids”, an initiative designed to introduce children to the wonders of neuroscience through interactive and hands-on activities. This program fosters curiosity about brain function, sensory perception, and cognitive development, engaging young minds in scientific exploration.
Dr. Herdman’s research, teaching, and service efforts collectively advance the fields of audiology, speech sciences, and neuroimaging, while also supporting the broader goal of enhancing hearing health and education within the community.
July 6, 2023
- Mahey, et al., (2023) Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for Simulating Electroencephalography. Brain Topography (2023) 36:661–670 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-023-00986-5)
December 15, 2020
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Herdman, A.T. (2021) SimMEEG software for simulating event-related MEG and EEG data with underlying functional connectivity. Journal of Neuroscience Methods
- See https://audiospeech.ubc.ca/research/brane/brane-lab-software/ for more information
- SimMEEG software can be downloaded from GitHub: https://github.com/docath/BRANELab/tree/SimMEEG
- “Anatomy” files can be downloaded from one-drive: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Avt7ZLBv1uQUgmIIdGcvkpiuhohb?e=S0kX67
Older News
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SimHERA software (includes SimHBA) is now available! Click HERE
- Multi-Source Beamforming: YoutTube Tutotial
- Mahey, P., Toussi, N., Purnomu, G., Herdman, A.T. (2023) Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for Simulating Electroencephalography. Brain Topography (2023) 36:661–670 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-023-00986-5)
- Herdman, A.T. (2021) SimMEEG software for simulating event-related MEG and EEG data with underlying functional connectivity. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. Volume 350, 109017 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.109017
- Herdman AT, Moiseev, A. Ribary, U. (2018). Localizing event-related potentials using multi-source minimum variance beamformers: A validation study. Brain Topography.
- Bann, SA & Herdman AT (2016) Event Related Potentials reveal early phonological and orthographic processing of single letters in letter-detection and letter-rhyme paradigms. Frontiers in human neuroscience
- Doesburg, S.M., Cheung, T., Moiseev, A., Ribary, U., Herdman, A.T., Miller, S.P., Chau C., Cepeda, I.L., Synnes A., & Grunau R.E. (2013) Neonatal pain-related stress, functional cortical activity and visual-perceptual abilities in school-age children born at extremely low gestational age. PAIN
- Herdman, A.T. & Takai, O. (2013) Paying attention to orthography: a visual evoked potential study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. May 21:7:199.[open access – full article]
- Moiseev, A., & Herdman, A.T. (2013) Multi-core beamformers: derivation, limitations and improvements. NeuroImage.71:135-146.
- Moiseev, A., Gaspar, J.M., Schneider, J.A., and Herdman, A.T. (2011) Application of Multi-Source Minimum Variance Beamformers for Reconstruction of Correlated Neural Activity. NeuroImage. 58(2):481-496.
- Herdman, A.T. (2011). Neuroimaging evidence for top-down maturation of selective auditory attention. Brain Topography, Special Issue. 24(3-4):271-278.
- Herdman, A.T. (2011). Functional communication within a perceptual network processing letters and pseudoletters. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology. 28(5):441-449.
- Doesburg, S.M., Ribary,U., Herdman, A.T., Miller, S.P., Poskitt, K.J., Moiseev, A., Whitfield,M.F., Synnes, A., Grunau, R.E. (2011) Altered long-range alpha-band synchronization during visual short-term memory retention in children born very preterm. NeuroImage. 54(3): 2330-2339
- Doesburg, S.M., Ribary,U., Herdman, A.T., Moiseev, A., Cheung,T., Miller, S.P., Poskitt, K.J., Weinberg, H., Whitfield, M.F., Synnes, A., Grunau, R.E. (2011) Magnetoencephalography reveals slowing of peak oscillatory frequency in children born very preterm. Pediatric Research. 70(2): 171-175
- Doesburg, S., Herdman, A.T., Ribary, U., Cheung, T., Moiseev, A., Weinberg, H., Liotti, M., Weeks, D., and Grunau, R.E. (2010) Long-range synchronization and local desynchronization of alpha rhythms during visual short-term memory retention in children. Experimental Brain Research. 201(4): 719-727.
- Beg, M.F., Wong, .S, Khan, A.R., Cheung, T., Virji-Babul, N., and Herdman, A.T. (2009) External landmark and head-shape-based functional data normalization. Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics. 33(7): 501-509.
- Ishii, R., Canuet, L., Chau, W., Herdman, A.T., Gunji, A., Robinson, S.E., Pantev, C., and Takeda, M. (2009) Cortical oscillatory power changes during auditory oddball task revealed by spatially filtered magnetoencephalography. Clinical Neurophysiology. 120(3): 497-504.
- Riggs, L., Moses, SN., Bardouille, T., Herdman, AT., Ross, B., Ryan, JD (2009) A complementary analytic approach to examining medial temporal lobe sources using magnetoencephalography. Neuroimage. 45:627-642.
- D’Angiulli, A., Herdman, A.T., Stapells, D.R., Hertzman, C. (2008) Childrens’ brains and socio-economic status: a selective attention ERP study. Neuropsychology. 22(3): 293-300.
- Ryan, J.D., Moses, S.N., Ostreicher, M., Bardouille, T., Herdman, A.T., Riggs L., and Tulving, E. (2008) Seeing sounds and hearing sights: The influence of prior learning on current perception. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 20(6): 1030-1042.
- Herdman, A.T., Pang, E., Ressl, V., Gaetz, W., & Cheyne D. (2007) Task-related modulation of early evoked responses during language production: An event-related synthetic aperture magnetometry study. Cerebral Cortex. 17: 2536-2543.
- Herdman, A.T. and Ryan J. (2007) Spatiotemporal brain dynamics underlying saccade execution, suppression, and error-related feedback. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 19(3): 420-432.
- D’Angiulli, A., Grunau, P., Maggi, S., and Herdman, A.T. (2006) Electroencephalographic correlates of prenatal exposure to alcohol in infants and children: a review of findings and implications for neurocognitive development. Alcohol. 40: 127-133.
- Itier, R., Herdman, A.T., George, N., Cheyne, D., and Taylor, M.J. (2006) Inversion and contrast-reversal effects on early face processing assessed by MEG. Brain Research. 1115(1): 108-120.
- Herdman, A.T., Fujioka, T., Chau, W., Ross, B., Pantev, C., and Picton T.W. (2006) Cortical oscillations related to processing congruent and incongruent grapheme-phoneme pairs. Neuroscience Letters. 399(1-2): 61-66.
- Ross, B., Herdman, A. T., and Pantev, C. (2005) Right hemispheric laterality of human 40-Hz auditory steady state responses. Cerebral Cortex, 15(12): 2029-2039.
- Ross, B., Herdman, A.T., and Pantev, C. (2005) Stimulus induced desynchronization of the auditory 40-Hz steady-state response. Journal of Neurophysiology, 94(6): 4082-4093.
- Ross, B., Picton, T. W., Herdman, A. T., Hillyard, S. A., and Pantev, C. (2004) The effect of attention on the auditory steady-state response. Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, 22: 1-4.
- Herdman, A.T., Fujioka, T., Chau, W., Ross, B., Pantev, C., and Picton T.W. (2004) Cortical oscillations modulated by congruent and incongruent audiovisual stimuli. Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, 15: 1-6.
- Herdman, A.T., Wollbrink, A., Chau, W., Ishii, R., Ross, B., and Pantev, C. (2003). Determination of activation areas in the human auditory cortex by means of synthetic aperture magnetometry. NeuroImage, 20(2): 995-1005.
- Herdman, A.T., and Stapells, D.R. (2003) Auditory steady-state response thresholds of adults with sensorineural hearing impairments. International Journal of Audiology, 42: 237-248.
- Herdman, A.T., Lins, O., Van Roon, P., Stapells, D.R., Scherg, M., and Picton, T.W. (2002) Intracerebral sources of human auditory steady-state responses. Brain Topography, 15(2): 69-86.
- Herdman, A.T., Picton, T.W., and Stapells, D.R. (2002) Place specificity of multiple auditory steady-state responses. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 112(4): 1569-1582.
- Herdman, A. T., and Stapells, D. R. (2001) Thresholds determined using the monotic and dichotic multiple auditory steady-state response technique in normal-hearing subjects. Scandinavian Audiology, 30: 41-49.
AUDI 514 Hearing Science I
This course is a basic (or first) course specifically focused on auditory anatomy, physiology, and perception (psychoacoustics). It concerns those aspects of normal auditory structure, function and perception important for a basic understanding of hearing and for subsequent study in Audiology and Speech-Language Sciences. Auditory pathology (hearing loss) is only briefly touched upon. [Note: Detailed coverage of complex sound processing, the central auditory system, and auditory pathology is provided in AUDI 515 (Term II), not in AUDI 514.]
AUDI 515 Hearing Science II
This course is the Audiology graduate students’ second course in hearing science. It covers cochlear physiology in greater detail than AUDI 514, and covers central auditory anatomy and physiology from 8th nerve to cortex. Advanced issues are linked to laboratory experiences (e.g., active/passive mechanisms in the cochlea are linked to a lab on otoacoustic emissions). Psychoacoustics of more complex stimuli are covered. Class size is small (~12 students). Format is seminars (80%) and labs (20%). Students create individual Knowledge Portfolios to enhance their learning and communication skills.
AUDI 558 Physiological Measures of Auditory Function
This course is the Audiology graduate students’ in-depth course auditory evoked/event-related potentials and otoacoustic emissions. Because of its importance for clinical practice, major emphasis is placed on the auditory brainstem (ABR) and auditory steady-state (ASSR) responses. Throughout the course, basic science aspects of these measures, as well as state-of-the-art techniques and measures, are provided in order to give students a solid foundation and the ability to adapt to future developments. Considerable hands-on experience is provided. The course includes a critical consideration of clinical protocols. In special cases, 1-2 graduate students from other Faculties/Departments may take this course. Class size is small (~12 students). Format is 50% lecture/seminar and 50% labs.