Ogi Ogas

Dr. Ogi Jonathan Ogas (born ca. 1971 in Annapolis, Maryland ) is a cognitive neuroscientist and game show contestant.

Life and works
Ogas was one of the first Homeland Security Fellows of the United States, involved in an educational program designed to prepare technologists for work in America's anti-terrorism effort. The Department of Homeland Security funded his doctoral program at Boston University in Cognitive & Neural Systems.

Ogas won $500,000 on an episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire that aired on November 8, 2006 by using his cognitive science research to guide his game strategy.

Ogi had a quite strong hunch on his $1,000,000 question, tentatively eliminating three of the choices, but ultimately decided to walk away because of the large amount of money at risk (Ogi would've lost $475,000 of his $500,000 if he was wrong). His hunch for the right answer was correct, prompting him to fall into a memorable and humorous tirade. Since playing, he has appeared as the expert twenty-two times on the "Ask The Expert Lifeline" on the syndicated show.

Ogas was also a contestant on Grand Slam, which aired in August and September 2007. He stated that after feeling the intense emotional pressure on Millionaire, he developed a new suite of cognitive techniques for Grand Slam, including calming techniques as well as mathematical, verbal, and mnemonic heuristics derived from his brain research. He defeated former Millionaire contestant Nancy Christy in his first-round game, and defeated then all-time game show winnings record holder and Jeopardy! champion Brad Rutter in his second round of play. Ogas then defeated David Legler in the semifinals.

In June 2009, Ogas along with fellow Boston University graduate Sai Gaddam (who was Ogi's Phone a Friend on Millionaire) obtained a six-figure book contract with Stephen Morrow at Dutton for a nonfiction book currently entitled Rule 34. In August 2009, they attempted to conduct a survey of fanfiction readers and writers, but withdrew the survey amidst condemnation of its content and methodology by members of the fan fiction community.