Neuroscience Orientation 2014Welcome to USC !

Neuroscience Orientation 2014

A. Welcome & IntroductionB. Research OpportunitiesC. Honors ProgramD. Advising:  Academic / Overseas Studies / 

Pre‐Health E. Honor & Service Societies: Nu Rho Psi, 

InterAxon, Psi ChiF. Supplemental InstructionG. Reception

Faculty & StaffCo‐Directors

Prof. Irving Biederman, PSYC (bieder@usc.edu)Prof. Albert Herrera, BISC (aherrera@usc.edu)

Executive Committee• Prof. Chien‐Ping Ko (cko@usc.edu)• Prof. John Monterosso, (johnrmon@usc.edu)• Student Representatives: Sana Azam, Maddie Jones, Lillie Moffett, Manan Shah, Cassandra Tran

• Academic AdvisorsAcademic Advisors

Lica Abu‐Esba (abuesba@usc.edu)Briana Weiland (bweiland@usc.edu)

Program AssistantGloria Wan (yuhungw@usc.edu)

http://dornsife.usc.edu/usc‐neuroscience/

http://dornsife.usc.edu/usc‐neuroscience/

Research

I.  Why get involved in original research in a faculty member’s lab as an undergraduate?

Research: Why? How? When?

A.  The obvious.  It will:1. Look good on my record (allow honors*!) and, 2.  Allow me to get a personalized recommendation, which 

along with (possibly),  

4.  of getting into _____________. (Fill in the blanks: medical school, graduate school, or much of what I might want to do as a career choice in this competitive world.)

3.  A conference presentation* or a publication* in a scientific journal, would improve my chances

*Life‐long record of a distinct achievement

I.  Why get involved in research as an undergraduate? (cont.)B.  The not‐so‐obvious:

1.  The chance for an extraordinary intellectual  journey.  The excitement of mastery and discovery.  

2.  An opportunity to experience—deeply‐‐what a research university is really about.  

3.  A home on campus.  Labs are like families.  You will be taken into a small group of highly intelligent, dedicated people with a shared mission. 

4. A lifelong domain of expertise.  With benefits:a.   Developing cognitive seed crystals for a broad 

range of your studies in neuroscience. b.   The opportunity to become a “citizen” of 

your domain of expertise.

II.  How (and in what manner) can I get involved in research?

B.  Select a lab that you feel could be a good match for your interests and talents.  Look at the web pages of various labs.  Ask around.  Treat your meeting with the lab director as if it were a job interview. 

A.  First and foremost, you should know that it is competitive:  there are more people who want to join labs than there are positions to be filled.

C.  You are not expected to come in with a research project in hand.  Once in, you will join a lab member on either an ongoing project or a new project.  They will train you.

II.  How (and in what manner) can I get involved in research? (cont.)

D.   Everyone in a lab will have to do some routine work.  Once in the lab, do all you can to demonstrate that you are capable of making an intellectual contribution to the research (rather than working only as a drone).  This can (and should) lead to co‐authorship.

III.  When should you get involved in research as an undergraduate? 

A.  The sooner the better.  The longer you are involved in a research project, the more time you have to develop mastery.   

B.  Most labs would want you to be able to commit a minimum of 10 hours a week.  The good news is that times usually are flexible.  But the lab will want (and should want) to recoup their investment in your training and want you to be a productivity source, not a productivity sink.  

Three Things to Think about Re. Courses and Skills

1. Take your Neuroscience courses as early as possible in your university career.

Neuroscience is not an easy discipline. There is enormous complexity and range, from molecular neuroscience to cognitive and computational neuroscience. The more time the conceptual structure is in your brain, the greater the chances of discovering new associations between concepts that will bring you mastery.2. Learn to program.

Certainly if you are going for a B.S., and even if you are going for a B.A., Matlab (or Python) is a good start. This will stand you well for the rest of your life. It will give you an edge in a wide range of courses, lab positions, and employment opportunities.3. Learn (take a course in) linear algebra.

Honors Program

http://dornsife.usc.edu/usc‐neuroscience/honors_program/

• Adds distinction• Deepens understanding• Develops skills• Facilitates mentoring• LORs• Requirements:‐ GPA  3.5‐ NEUR 493 Honors Seminar (1 unit, 2x)

‐ NEUR 490 Research (4 units)

‐ NEUR 494 Honors Thesis‐ Submit thesis

• To start, begin research

Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Advising Services

• 30 minute, 1-on-1 advisement appointments• Make course recommendations • Create Course Plans• Degree Audits• Lift Advising Holds• Connect to Campus Resources• Mid-term “at risk” Grade Outreach• Navigate Academic Policies

Additional Resources

• Career Pathways• Career Planning and Placement Center• Pre-Health Advising• Pre-Graduate School Advising• Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity• Disability Services & Programs

Involvement

• Student Organizations• Greek Life • Intramural Sports • Service Learning (JEP & Volunteer Center)• Internships • Research (SURF & SOAR)

Overseas Studies

• English-Speaking Countries• Problems without Passports• May-mester

3501 Trousdale Pkwy., THH 341Los Angeles, CA 90089-4354

213.740.3636 overseas@usc.edu

Contact Info

Briana Weilandbweiland@usc.edu

Does your last name begin with the letter A,

B, C, D, or E?

Lica Abu-Esbaabuesba@usc.edu

To schedule an appointment:213-740-3800

YES NO

Nu Rho Psi

Who are we?• Provide a valuable resource for academic information and create a 

community with‐in the Neuroscience family• Encourage professional interest and excellence in scholarship, 

particularly in neuroscience• Award recognition to students who have achieved such excellence 

in scholarship• Promote career development in neuroscience and related fields• Increase public awareness of neuroscience and its benefits for the 

individual and society• Encourage service to the community

Requirements• Major or minor in Neuroscience • Completion of 9 semester hours of Neuroscience‐related courses

• Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 anda minimum GPA of 3.5 in Neuroscience courses. 

Events• Taste Changers Event • Mentorship Program• Neuroscience‐Related Volunteering• Tedx Neuroscience 

Perks!• Course Assistance• 24/7 access to upperclassman • Discounts for GRE/ MCAT prep classes • Informational meetings • Figuring out when to apply for Grad/ Med School

Get Involved!!– Interested in a cabinet position? 

• nurhopsiusc@gmail.com

– Sign up sheet towards back of the room!

defin.Neurosciencecommunityservice organization thatvisitsunder‐servedK‐12studentstopresentdynamic interactive presentations aboutscienceingeneraland

neuroscience inparticular

Joinourmailinglist!Usc.interaxon@gmail.com

FB:“USCInteraxon”

community service | neuroscience community | leadership opportunities | mentorship | social events around LA | teach what you’re learning

http://dornsife.usc.edu/psyc/psi‐chi/

Psi ChiInternational Honor Society in Psychology

Supplemental Instructionhttp://dornsife.usc.edu/supplemental-instruction/

Neuroscience Social TeaFirst Tuesday of month, HNB 107, 4 – 5 pm

Please join us!This Fall:  Sep 23, Oct 28, Nov 18

Ponder deep thoughts! Satisfy hunger