Nikol Figalová

Postdoctoral Researcher | Experimental Psychology

Greater Wurzburg Area

About

Interdisciplinary researcher with background in cognitive psychology, neuroergonomics, & human factors. Experienced in project management and large-scale user studies. Skilled in EEG/ERP, eye-tracking, and advanced data analysis. Passionate about translating research findings into real-world solutions.

Experience

  • Postdoctoral Researcher at The Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg
    Feb 2026 - Present · 5 mos

    My goal is to understand the semantics of social gaze, focusing on how gaze patterns are interpreted in social interaction and how this meaning depends on context. The role involves designing and conducting eye-tracking–based experiments using mixed-method approaches, and contributing to a DFG-funded project within the Priority Programme Understanding Gaze (UGaze).

  • Ulm University (Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
    • Research Assistant
      Aug 2023 - Sep 2024 · 1 yr 2 mos

      As a member of the Department of Human Factors, I studied how drivers interact with (automated) vehicles. I designed and conducted various driving simulator studies using EEG and eye-tracking. I supervised Master theses and lectured the "Driver-Vehicle Interaction Project Seminar" for master students. I gained experience in grant proposal writing and deepened my project management skills.

    • Research Assistant
      May 2020 - Aug 2023 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      I worked at the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology. As a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Early Stage Researcher, I used neuroergonomic methods to study the cognitive mechanisms underlying interactions between humans and automated vehicles. The position was part of an European project “SHAPE-IT: Supporting the interaction of Humans and Automated vehicles: Preparing for the Environment of Tomorrow”.

  • Researcher at Bosch Research
    Jun 2022 - Sep 2022 · 4 mos

    I conducted an internship in the Department of Software Engineering & User Experience. I was responsible to design and execute an experiment in a prototype automated vehicle on a test track using mobile EEG. The goal of this experiment was to understand how drivers allocate their attentional resources when operating a vehicle on different levels of automation.

  • Visiting Researcher at IfADo - Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund
    Feb 2022 - Mar 2022 · 2 mos

    During this internship, I improved my research skills in the area of experiment design and data collection. Moreover, I gained further insights into signal processing using Matlab.

  • Crisis Line Counselor at InternetPoradna.cz o.s.
    May 2019 - Mar 2020 · 11 mos

    As a crisis counselor I provided anonymous and free of charge phone consultations to individuals facing a challenging life situation.