Training

Mentoring Master Class: Maximizing Trainee Success in Career Transitions

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:38:00 GMT

In this webinar, three experts on career development and mentoring will offer advice for mentoring postdocs through career transitions. Speakers will discuss the value of establishing a strong mentor-mentee relationship, the steps to successfully selecting a career path, and the importance of identifying and developing transferable skills in the laboratory.

Toward Novel Therapies in Psychiatry: Zooming into Brain-Periphery, Dysfunction, and Crosstalk

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

This webinar is exclusive for SfN members. Please log in or link your FENs membership ;for access.

Malfunctioning of neuronal circuits and peripheral systems (e.g metabolism, immune or microbiota) underlie aspects of psychiatric disorders. One of the major challenges in neuroscience is understanding the mechanisms and temporal dynamics of such changes within discrete neuronal connections, or within precise peripheral players. Such understanding can reveal new therapeutic strategies and refine existing ones.

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

Delineate the main brain circuitries affected in psychiatric disorders.
Describe how external stimuli may disturb the function of brain connection and periphery.
Identify how the periphery, particularly the immune system, can control brain function.
Define some of the targets (brain and periphery level) exploitable for therapeutic purposes.
Explain the new avenues neurobiology is providing for treatment.
Describe how different kinds of food-related information modulate the brain's hunger circuit
Explain the new avenues neurobiology is providing for treatment.

Supporting Emotional Well-Being in Trainees

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:43:00 GMT

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity. Students need information, guidance, encouragement, and support to develop their resilience and wellness practices, especially in the face of messages that such practices are shameful, trivial, or unnecessary. In this webinar we will discuss recent data on graduate student health, wellness, and vulnerable populations and share approaches to building programs to address these concerns.

Evolution of Neuroscience Graduate Programs Meeting the Needs of 21st Century Trainees

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As the skills and needs of the 21^st century biomedical workforce evolve, so too must the graduate programs that train neuroscience students.

In this webinar, faculty from three top U.S. universities will discuss how their graduate programs are:

Broadening the pool of candidates recruited to graduate school.
Re-examining the ;scientific ;topics and skills ;that students learn.
Ensuring trainees are exposed to and prepared for the broad range of ;career options available for neuroscientists.

Undergraduate Neuroscience Pedagogy: Perspectives From Different Institutions

Wed, 30 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In this webinar for SfN and ;Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience ;(FUN) members, hear from undergraduate faculty who will share their best practices in undergraduate pedagogy implemented at a variety of institutions: liberal arts colleges, a mid-sized university, and a large research institution.

You will learn about different features of neuroscience curricula at the speakers’; institutions and lessons they have learned from launching and maintaining a neuroscience course of study for different administrative structures, types of degrees (including a minor and major), and an interdisciplinary neuroscience program.

Neuroscience Training Programs Without Borders

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The field of neuroscience embodies a very active international scientific community that drives the need for neuroscience training programs to internationalize their training efforts. Increasing efforts to attract and acclimate students will leverage diverse scientific collaboration with academic success.

This webinar showcases two neuroscience training programs, and describe how each support their international student body by addressing language barriers, pre-course requirements, and general adaptation to a new country. The program also features the perspectives of two students.

Developing a 21st Century Neuroscience Workforce

Mon, 03 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

How can neuroscience training programs adapt to evolving tools, technologies, career opportunities, and challenges to best prepare trainees for the future? This webcast will explore strategies to help you tackle this question for graduate and postdoctoral neuroscience training programs at your institutions.

Training at the Intersection of Neuroscience and Different Disciplines

Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This webinar will explore the goals, benefits, and other considerations of dual-degree programs in neuroscience and law, public policy, and engineering through case studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’;s ;Neuroscience & Public Policy Program ;(N&PP) and Stanford University’;s ;joint degree and cooperative programs. Learn from faculty and students currently involved in these training programs as they participate in a panel discussion and Q&A to explore the topics and answer your questions. ;

Cultivating Inclusivity: Leading Your Training Environment

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:38:00 GMT

Making people feel welcome within a neuroscience department or program contributes to its collective strength and success. To effectively cultivate a more inclusive environment, grassroots efforts, incentive structures, and institutional leaders need to work together toward a common goal. In this discussion panel, institute and program leaders share challenges they have experienced, and the solutions used to achieve a more inclusive environment for neuroscientists and their work to prosper. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and experiences to share with the panelists.

This discussion between institutional program heads is organized by SfN’;s Neuroscience Training Committee. This webinar will be available to watch on-demand after the live broadcast.

Can ChatGPT Revolutionize Neuroscience Education?

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:04:00 GMT

Neuroscience education is transforming by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as ChatGPT into classrooms. This AI-powered model, designed to emulate human-like interaction, offers a simplified and engaging avenue for comprehending intricate theories and ideas in neuroscience.

Expanding Accessibility in Neuroscience Through Speech-to-Text Technologies

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Campuses worldwide are seeing the first few waves of students with hearing loss who were diagnosed at or just after birth and subsequently benefited from early intervention with digital hearing aids and/or cochlear implants. Now is the time for the global STEM community to leverage speech-to-text (S2T) technologies in new ways that can benefit everyone, including those with hearing loss.

By World Health Organization estimates, over 5% of the world’;s population has disabling hearing loss. That number is expected to rise through 2050 and have a significant impact on the representation of people with hearing loss in STEM —; less than one percent, ;according to a report of a NSF workshop.

Methods to Improve Student Learning

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

“Thinking about the evidence behind how we teach and what we teach is important,” reflects Brian Couch, assistant professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, whose research group seeks to understand the undergraduate science education system and identify methods to improve student learning.

Undergraduate neuroscience is a broad field with diverse students. Identifying and using tested teaching practices with demonstrated efficacy in the classroom can help educators assess their students’ success and adequately prepare them for future careers.

Watch this video to learn how to start small and incorporate specific evidence-based activities into your classroom to improve student learning.

Strategies for Creating Healthy Learning Environments

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 10:06:00 GMT

Christine Alvarado, an undergraduate professor at the University of California, San Diego, strives to create a healthy learning environment to set her students up for success.

She believes students will grow in an emotionally productive classroom that encourages them to ask questions, fail, admit they don’;t understand, and seek support.

Conversely, if there is a lot of competition between peers, or the same student always raises their hand while the rest of the class is silent, there could be a need to update the classroom structure.

Course Models for Integrating Research Into the Curriculum

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 09:51:00 GMT

As a faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI), research may look different than it did during your training, considering most of your time will be reserved for teaching. Even so, many schools encourage integrating research into courses, which can help you have an impact on more students than you would in a research lab.

Undergraduate research is well-known as a high-impact practice in higher education¹, providing opportunities for students to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills, intellectual independence, and abilities to work in teams and own projects. For students, all of these skills are readily transferable to a wide array of future careers. For departments and institutions, involvement in undergraduate research translates into increased engagement and academic success of students², increased retention and graduation rates³, as well as career placements or enrollment in graduate programs. It also promotes an innovation-oriented culture.

Strategies for Programs to Support Early Career Neuroscientists

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

In this workshop, hear about key strategies postdoctoral training programs can use to help their trainees launch and sustain a successful career. You’;ll learn about specific programs and policies that can reduce barriers to and create more opportunities for successful transitions to independent research careers.

Inside Summer Undergraduate Research Programs: Part One

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Opening your lab to undergraduates can positively impact the next generation of scientists. They’ll have the opportunity to be exposed to the world of scientific discovery, experience failure and practice resilience, and develop critical thinking skills. Audrey Chen, one of The Claremont College’s 5-C Summer Undergraduate Research Program faculty, expands on these advantages and explains how to successfully integrate students into ongoing research projects.

Module 1: Introduction to the Optogenetics Training Series

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 17:00:00 GMT

Learn basic information about optogenetics and hear an overview of this training series, which provides foundational information to help neuroscientists better understand how to rigorously and effectively implement optogenetics methods in their research.

Consider This Framework When Assessing Your Grad Program

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 10:07:00 GMT

To conduct an effective graduate program assessment, you need to have clear ideas on what your teaching goals are and what you're trying to assess.

Here are my suggestions of what to consider when shaping a curriculum and developing an evaluation to ensure your students are learning skills to help them excel in the lab and beyond.

How Active Learning Groups Help Students

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 13:28:00 GMT

At Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, we have found that case-based Active Learning Group (ALG) discussions are an effective way to disseminate core medical concepts related to neuroscience.

Teaching Neuroscience with a Liberal Arts Edge

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

For most of my career, I have taught about the brain and behavior in an interdisciplinary way. A liberal arts education provides wide exposure to the arts, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, and the human condition (also known as the humanities).

When we study neuroscience using this approach, our students develop an appreciation for how disciplines such as philosophy, foreign language, psychology, and music may contribute to a more complete understanding of cognitive function. This gives them the freedom to “step outside the science box” to approach neuronal activity or behavior from a variety of perspectives.

How Can Programs Adapt Their IDP Process to Promote Student Individuality?

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The following Q&A with Ian Paul and Alan Sved is adapted from the webinar, Maximizing the Effectiveness of Graduate Programs Through Assessment.

How can individual development plans (IDPs) be used to develop individuality in students? Should there be a wider effort within the program to review IDPs beyond PIs?

Training the Trainers: How to Adapt to an Evolving Landscape

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Preparing trainees for a variety of career trajectories can help faculty, program directors, and chairs support them through evolving challenges and needs.

Fortunately, tools and approaches exist —; and continue to innovate —; to guide trainers in adapting program curricula so that trainees understand and are prepared for broad career options, mentoring models reflect a changing training landscape, and stakeholder buy-in is achieved.

In this workshop, Victoria Prince and Jami Armbrester share best practices from their institutions’; efforts and advice on how to incorporate key elements in your program.

Teaching Neuroscience to Nonscientists: Tactics and Techniques

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

How can you make neuroscience interesting and not scary to non-science majors? As Marc Breedlove, professor of neuroscience at Michigan State University, explains, it’s all about presenting the science in an accessible way.

Teaching Neuroscience to Nonscientists: Neuroscience Meets Music

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Enabling neuroscience and humanities students to banter over complex topics and try to understand what everyone is saying actually helps them learn.

In her “Neuroscience of Music” class at Lafayatte College, Lisa Gabel, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, has found that integrating two seemingly opposing fields and groups of individuals studying different questions yields interesting conversations and benefits.

A Dean of Students on How to Strengthen Trainees’ Skills for Diverse Careers

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 09:00:00 GMT

Victoria Prince is the dean for graduate affairs in the biological sciences division at the University of Chicago. As a co-PI on her university’s Broadening Experience in Science Training (BEST) Award, Prince works to ensure that trainees’ are well-equipped to pursue various career paths. Here, she discusses how.

How Experiences Outside of the Lab Benefit Students and PIs

Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

A key goal of any training program is to prepare people for their future careers. Yet, in biomedical research, we continue to prepare graduate students for academic jobs, even though only 43 percent of the post-training workforce of U.S.-trained biomedical PhDs are now employed in academia, according to the 2012 NIH Advisory Committee to the Director Biomedical Research Workforce Group Report.

How to Develop Program Resources for a Variety of Career Paths

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Developing and assessing programs used to be a linear process because the training process was linear: graduate school, postdoctoral training, and academia.

With so many career trajectories available now, students —; by preference and by necessity —; have to follow their own individual career path. As program leaders, we have a responsibility to develop resources that equip them for success.

How to Prepare Students for Different Career Paths

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Paul McGonigle shares how faculty can prepare students interested in working in different fields, such as health care, education, or public policy.

Why PIs Can and Should Help Graduate Students Look Beyond Academia

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:20:00 GMT

Not every graduate student will follow the footsteps of their mentor and become a professor in academia. In a competitive climate with sparse funding opportunities and limited academic faculty positions, it’s just not an option for everyone.

Use This ERIN Resource

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

As the knowledge base in neuroscience continues to expand, educators need timely resources to engage their students.

Use This ERIN Teaching Tool

Wed, 01 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

As the knowledge base in neuroscience continues to expand, educators need timely resources to engage their students.

Why You Should Use This Open Access Textbook for Neuroscience Learning

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:57:00 GMT

College education, including tuition and textbook costs, is simply too expensive. That is why Elizabeth D. Kirby, an associate professor at Ohio State University, and Christine Charvet, an assistant professor at the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine, are working to make learning neuroscience accessible for all students with the creation of an open access textbook, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience. Learn more about the process of creating this new textbook and how to implement it into your own curriculum.

Why Teach Hybrid Courses?

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Online courses are increasingly popular, especially for students who need a more flexible schedule due to work or family commitments. However, studies show that online courses have a high attrition rate, and that students who take online courses are less likely to return to school in subsequent semesters and are less likely to earn a degree.

Other Ways to Assess Applicants Besides the GRE

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Ian Paul and Alan Sved share their best practices for assessing the quality of graduate school applicants besides the GRE.

A Look at the Intersection of Scientific Rigor, Big Data, and Interdisciplinary Training

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 09:40:00 GMT

Alois Saria is a professor and head of the department of the experimental psychiatry unit at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria. As the director of the European Union’s Human Brain Project’s Education Program and member of SfN’s Neuroscience Training Committee, Saria is actively involved in leading conversations and instituting new models to help neuroscience training and research cut across fields, incorporate new technologies and approaches, and usher in more discovery. In this interview, Saria shares insights from these experiences to highlight the importance of following scientific rigor best practices and fostering interdisciplinary training to advance neuroscience research.

Should Faculty Assess Neuroscience Competencies or a Broader Skillset?

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The following Q&A is adapted from the webinar, Maximizing the Effectiveness of Graduate Programs through Assessment.

Ian Paul and Alan Sved discuss how faculty can create effective and measurable goals and objectives for students enrolled in an interdisciplinary program.

Inside Summer Undergraduate Research Programs: Part Three

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I. Memming Park, a faculty member part of Stony Brook University’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program, shares how opening your lab to undergrads for the summer can lead to many positive impacts, such as bringing new energy that can move projects forward and helping undergrads to experience the joys of research.

This Q&A is part of a series that explores how undergraduate summer research programs impact students and the labs who host them.

Inside Summer Undergraduate Research Programs: Part Two

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

There are many reasons to have undergraduates join your lab for the summer, including mentoring practice for postdocs and a chance to guide the upcoming generation of researchers. Chiye Aoki, a faculty member involved in New York University’;s Summer Undergraduate Research Program, shares how to give undergraduates a summer research experience that will enhance their career and enrich your lab.

Adjusting Neuroscience Training to Meet New Demands

Mon, 03 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The neuroscience field is evolving with new tools, technologies, and research techniques. So what will best prepare the next generation of neuroscientists to use these advances and launch their careers?

Floh Thiels, associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh, explains. She discusses why and how training can adapt to these developments, and she highlights just some of the career paths that trained neuroscientists may be interested in pursuing.

Teaching Neuroscience to Nonscientists: From Botox to Behavior

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Leah Anderson Roesch’s neuroscience class at Emory University is not just a prerequisite course for her non-neuroscience students. It’s a way to get liberal arts students connected to and excited about the field.

With her class designed to foster discovery and engagement around various content areas, Roesch’s students are empowered to apply their learnings in the real world.

Teaching Neuroscience with Big Data

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Processing and analyzing massive data sets is a major challenge, but training neuroscientists how to use them is integral to moving the field forward.

Hear from Russell Poldrack, co-creator of OpenfMRI, and Robert Williams, co-creator of the Mouse Brain Library (MBL), to hear about how the large open databases they helped build are enabling researchers to access and analyze reliable data. Also learn how to use open data sets like OpenfMRI and MBL in training settings to help neuroscientists enhance their statistics and computational skillsets.

Modelling Strokes within TVB

Learn how to simulate strokes with the simulation platform, The Virtual Brain.

The Local Epileptor: Part 1

Learn how to simulate seizure events and epilepsy in The Virtual Brain. ;

The Virtual Epileptic Patient: Part 2

This lecture gives an overview on the article “Individual brain structure and modelling predict seizure propagation” where 15 subjects with epilepsy were modelled to predict individual epileptogenic zones. ;

The Local Epileptor: Part 2

In this lecture we will focus on a paper called “The Virtual Epileptic Patient: Individualized whole-brain models of epilepsy spread”.

The Virtual Epileptic Patient: Part 1

After introducing the local epileptor model in the previous 2 videos we will now use it in a large scale brain simulation.

Module 6: How to Design a Rigorous Optogenetics Experiment

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 14:30:00 GMT

Learn basic elements of experimental design that are particularly relevant in optogenetic experiments from co-organizer Alexandra Nelson, as well as Matthew McGregor.

After reviewing the materials in Module 6, you should be able to:

Describe some of the common designs of optogenetic behavioral studies, and their advantages and disadvantages.
Identify some of the common pitfalls of optogenetics study design that might lead to challenges in reproducibility.
Describe some of the sources of variability that can be minimized during experimental execution.

Sympathetic Optogenetics for Neuroimmunity

In this video, Ana Domingos describes her research using optogenetics to study the relationship between the immune system and sympathetic nervous system.

Multiphoton Optogenetic Silencing of Groups of Neurons In Vivo

In this video, Ian Oldenburg discusses the development of a method to selectively silence a group of neurons using optogenetic tools.

All-Optical Electrophysiology of Cortical Layer 1 Neurons

In this video, Linlin Fan discusses her work using an all-optical system to perform electrophysiological studies of cortical neurons.

Near-Infrared Upconversion Optogenetics

In this video, Shuo Chen discusses his work developing upconversion nanoparticles for use in deep brain optogenetic stimulation.

Optogenetic Dissection of Brain Circuits Causing Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

In this video, Ally Girasole using the FosTRAP system to study the role of striatal neurons in levodopa-induced dyskinesia.

Optogenetics: A Look Forward and a Look Back

In this keynote presentation, Karl Deisseroth discusses the history and future of optogenetic tools in neuroscience research.

Modeling Oligodendrocyte Death in Human Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease

In this video, Hiroko Nobuta discusses her work using patient-derived stem cells to research Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease and potential future treatments.

Developing Patient-specific Stem Cell Models to Inform Epilepsy Therapies

In this video, Evangelos Kiskinis discusses his lab’;s work using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells to study pediatric epilepsy.

Genetically Engineered Cerebral Organoids Model Human Brain Tumor Formation

In this video, Shan Bian discusses his postdoctoral work using cerebral organoids to study brain tumors.

Human ES Cell-based Modeling of Pediatric High-grade Glioma

In this video, Kosuke Funato and Ryan C. Smith discuss their use of stem cell models to study mutation in pediatric brain tumors.

MiSTR Crossing Microfluids and hESC to Generate a Predictable in vitro Model for Studying Early Human Neural Development

In this video, Pedro Rifes discusses his research using human embryonic stem cells to study the early development of the brain.

Self-organization of hESC Differentiation Patterns to Model Human Diseases in the Ectodermal Compartment

In this video, Fred Etoc discusses his research using organoids to study the developing brain.

Using Organoids to Model Brain Development and Evolution

In this video, Iva Kelava discusses her research using organoids to model the developing human brain.

Neurodata Without Borders: Advanced Data Write with MATLAB

Learn how to handle writing very large data in NWB with MATLAB.

Neurodata Without Borders: Intracellular Electrophysiology Basics with MATLAB and Python

Learn how to create a standard intracellular electrophysiology dataset in NWB.

What is Neurodata Without Borders: An Intro to NWB-enabled tools

Neurodata Without Borders (NWB) is an ecosystem for neurophysiology data standardization.

Neurodata Without Borders: Extracellular Electrophysiology with MATLAB

Learn how to create a standard extracellular electrophysiology dataset in NWB using MATLAB.

Neurodata Without Borders: Optical Physiology with MATLAB

Learn how to create a standard calcium imaging dataset in NWB using MATLAB.

NeuroAI: Bridging Brain Science and Artificial Intelligence

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:40:00 GMT

Srikanth Ramaswamy, PhD, breaks down the emerging field of NeuroAI, including early advances, promises, and challenges, and resources for early career scientists to start learning and contributing to the growing field. For more about Ramaswamy and his journey into NeuroAI, watch this interview on Neuronline.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has achieved remarkable feats in recent years, from diagnosing diseases to generating human-like text. Yet, AI systems consume vast amounts of energy, often hallucinate, struggle to adapt to new situations, and fail in unpredictable ways. What if the next breakthrough comes from understanding how our brains actually work? This gap between artificial and natural intelligence is precisely what drives NeuroAI, an emerging field bridging neuroscience and AI that is transforming both disciplines.