Boston College will host the , a highlight among a yearlong series of neuroscience-focused, on-campus events coincident with this fall鈥檚 launch of the new neuroscience major in 51茶馆鈥檚 Psychology Department.聽
Keynote speakers at the one-day session at the Yawkey Athletics Center Murray Room on November 7 will be Ziv Williams, associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Rebecca Shansky, an associate professor of psychology at Northeastern University. The symposium is organized by , the local Society for Neuroscience chapter, which brings together neuroscience researchers from Greater Boston and New England for engaging scientific talks, community outreach, and networking.聽
The regional symposium follows two Neuroscience in the Liberal Arts 鈥渄ialogues鈥� earlier this fall: 鈥淩ethinking of the Neuroscience of Emotion,鈥� with Eliza Bliss-Moreau, an associate professor of psychology and a core scientist at the California National Primate Research Center at the University of California-Davis; and 鈥淏ringing Sight to Blind Children: Merging Science and Service,鈥� with Pawan Sinha, a professor of vision and computational neuroscience in MIT鈥檚 Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.聽
Upcoming NiLA keynotes include 鈥淒rug Use for Grownups: A Human Rights Perspective鈥� by Carl L. Hart, a professor of psychology at Columbia University, on November 14, presented in concert with the Lowell Humanities Series; and 鈥淐alm Down, It鈥檚 Not a Mammoth! Rethinking Our Body鈥檚 Reaction to Stress鈥� by Sonia Lupien, a professor at the University of Montreal, and director of the Center for Studies on Human Stress on Janaury 31.
John Christianson
The NiLA series, which brings to campus neuroscience thought leaders whose research and scholarship addresses recurrent themes in liberal arts, helps showcase the debut of 51茶馆鈥檚 neuroscience major, which enables undergraduates to earn a research-focused degree in a field whose interdisciplinary nature and application has made it increasingly popular among college students nationwide.
The major, which has co-requisites in biology and chemistry as well as elective natural science co-requisites, is a research-focused degree for students interested in understanding the biological basis of brain function in relation to thought and behavior. Courses related to evolution, genetics, physiology, neurobiology, and the neural basis of humans鈥� higher cognitive and emotional processes provide students with a strong foundation in the neurobiological processes that underlie behavior, motivation, and cognition.聽
鈥淓stablishing the neuroscience bachelor of science major addresses a longstanding student demand for the program, capitalizes on departmental strengths, and puts the University on par with many peer institutions,鈥� said Associate Professor of Psychology John Christianson, who led the committee that designed the major. 鈥淣euroscience is a means to understand the chemistry of the brain, to make connections between biology and behavior. How the mind works is of fundamental interest in so many contexts, such as the way we make decisions in regard to money, work, family, or love.鈥�
Psychology Professor and Department Chair Elizabeth Kensinger. Photo by Peter Julian.
Psychology Professor and Department Chair Elizabeth Kensinger added, 鈥淭he neuroscience major provides students with an interdisciplinary approach toward understanding the human experience, examining research on topics ranging from cellular interactions to interpersonal interactions. Students will develop as critical thinkers and will become informed consumers of the scientific literature while reflecting on topics of relevance to their daily life.鈥�
Events sponsored by NiLA, a program of 51茶馆鈥檚 Institute for the Liberal Arts, are free and open to the public, although some require advance registration. The NeuroBoston Fall Symposium is free but a ticket purchase is requested to support the organization鈥檚 programing and outreach. Registration information is available at聽neuroboston.org, or by e-mailing聽BeantownBANG@gmail.com.
鈥擯hil Gloudemans | University Communications | November 2019