The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) was awarded a $473,509 Project Grant (CFDA 93.867 - Vision Research) from the National Eye Institute on February 1, 2025. The goal of this 5-year research project is to investigate how pupillary responses and eye movements can provide insights into working memory processes and their interactions with visual perception. The proposed research will combine physiological measurements (fMRI, eye-tracking) with transcranial stimulation techniques to test the causal relationships between peripheral modulation, neural working memory signatures, and behavioral outcomes. Specific aims include determining whether pupillary working memory signals convey behavioral relevance and decisional quality, configure to predictive task contexts, and shape or interact with ongoing perception. This work aims to reveal new mechanisms underlying cognitive influences on pupillary function and explore the potential for pupil states to be volitionally controlled, with the goal of enhancing methods for assessing and treating visual and cognitive dysfunction.