Anya Hurlbert, also known as Viscountess Ridley (born April 1958), is a British academic who is Professor of Visual Neuroscience and Dean of Advancement at Newcastle University. Her research involves the study of the interaction between colour and light, and how these are interpreted by the human brain. Career Hurlbert's educational background within physics, medicine and neuroscience led to her appointment as a lecturer at Newcastle University in 1991, later becoming Professor of Visual Neuroscience. In 2003 Hurlbert was acting Head of the Division of Psychology, Brain and Behaviour (Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering) and then interim Head in 2007. She was involved in development of the new School of Psychology in the University's Faculty of Medical Sciences. In 2004 she was co-founder with Colin Ingram of the Institute of Neuroscience and its co-director until 2014. In 2012 she was involved in founding the Centre for Translational Systems Neuroscience at the University, part-funded by the Wellcome Trust. Among her external roles is as a member of Advisory Council of the Institute of Advanced Study at Durham University. The focus of her research is on human visual perception, specifically how brains create and stabilise colour so that people see colours, often in different ways. This makes use of physics, psychology and neurobiology and she has developed technologies and algorithms to investigate colour constancy and perception. Her research has been applied in several very different areas including some medical conditions, artwork and exhibitions and also quality control of food. Her research group has also studied differing colour preferences among young men and women. Hurlbert and colleagues participated in discussion about the science behind the 2015 social media event #the dress where people disagreed on whether it was black and royal blue, or white and gold in colour. The Newcastle scientists considered it from the aspect of individual perception of colour constancy. In July 2022 Hurlbert was appointed as a trustee of the Science Museum Group for a period of 4 years from 1 November 2022 until 31 October 2026. Awards and honours Hurlbert is a member of the Scientific Consultative Group, National Gallery, London and was the scientist trustee of the gallery from 2010 until 2018. She is a member of the Optoelectronics Committee of the Rank Prize Funds. She is a member of the Advisory Board of Current Biology, the Editorial Board of Journal of Vision, and the Board of