Education & Training

Education

     Since its inception in 1991 the Brain Sciences Center has been dedicated to the education and training of prospective scientists in order to carry on its mission of advancing scientific research and working toward uncovering the seemingly infinite mysteries of the brain.  To that end, many postdoctoral fellows, as well as medical, graduate, undergraduate and high school students have come from all over the world to study and train at the Brain Sciences Center.   The scientific research methods and topics range from neurophysiology to functional brain imaging, from experimental psychology to supercomputer modeling.

Organization

  The education, training  and pursuit of cutting-edge scientific work has made the Brain Sciences Center an exciting place to work and advance brain research.  The work experience here covers a wide variety of activities including national and international collaborations of Center faculty and staff, seminars by neuroscience experts from the United States and abroad, and organization of international meetings.

Representation

     All scientific staff (8 professors, 3 research associates, 1 research fellow, 9 postdoctoral associates) have academic appointments at the University of Minnesota.  A unique feature of the Center is the integration across many scientific disciplines, University of Minnesota departments, and graduate programs.  The departments represented at the Brain Sciences Center include Neuroscience, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Psychology.  The graduate programs represented (6 graduate students) are in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Scientific Computation. The expertise of the Center faculty covers a broad range of the brain sciences, including Neurophysiology, Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Motor Control & Learning, Functional Brain Imaging, Magnetoencephalography, Supercomputer Modeling and Single Cell Recording.

    In addition, many faculty and staff members have medical training in neurology, psychiatry and clinical psychology.  The result is a vibrant, highly interactive group that relentlessly pursues brain research in single cell neurophysiology, functional neuroimaging, and large scale computer modeling of normal brain function and its disturbance in psychiatric disease and neurological disorders.

 Interviews

Georgopoulos appears in KARE11 news report

     The Brain Sciences Center was the subject of a Minneapolis-St Paul television report November 2 on KARE-TV, Channel 11. The story concerned the latest research of Dr. Georgopopoulos and his team on the new test for brain disorders. The research is based on the recently published article in the Journal of Neural Engineering titled: "Synchronous neural interactions assessed by magnetoencephalography: A functional biomarker for brain disorders. (KARE-TV 11 is the NBC network affiliate in the Minneapolis-St Paul tv market.)

<See the video interview at the KARE11 website

 Visits

REU Summer 2005 comes to BSC

     Accompanied by Drs. Celia Wolk Gershenson and Herb Pick from the Center for Cognitive Sciences, students in the Research Experience for Undergraduates Program visited the Brain Sciences Center on July 22nd, 2005.  They were treated to presentations on MEG, fMRI and sonification by Apostolos P. Georgopoulos, Patricia Pardo, Scott Lewis and Roger Dumas.

     This intensive ten-week program is open to up to 24 undergraduates who plan to or are considering research oriented graduate studies in the behavioral sciences, cognitive sciences, and mental health. The University of Minnesota offers students an ideal opportunity to explore their future options in an intellectually challenging and socially rewarding context. The program is funded by the National Science Foundation and the University of Minnesota.

 Presentations & Posters

     Patricia Pardo points out preliminary data and discusses findings from a current MEG project with fellow BSC researcher Trent Jerde. 

Brain Science Center research displayed at VAMC Research Day

     The annual Research Day, at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, allows VA and BSC scientists an opportunity to display their latest projects, in poster form, and share and discuss their work with fellow researchers, clinicians, staff and the general public.  Please visit our Poster download page for an in-depth look.

Brain Sciences Center Director Apostolos Georgopoulos (left) discusses the impact of stroke on the brain with Richfield Optimist Club member Ivan Ludeman while club Program Director Dick Youngquist (center) looks on.

Georgopoulos speaks to Optimist International Club

     Dr Georgopoulos was the featured speaker at the Optimist International meeting, Wednesday, August 24, in the Minneapolis suburb of Richfield, Minnesota.  Among the subjects he presented during his talk were brain imaging methods and neuroscience research at the Center.

     With 105,00 members worldwide, Optimist International clubs have been "Bringing Out the Best in Kids" since 1919. Optimist Clubs conduct positive service projects aimed at providing a helping hand to youth in their communities.

Georgopoulos speaks to Osher Lifelong Learning group November 1st.
     A packed room of participants from the Osher Lifelong Learning group listened to Dr Apostolos P. Georgopoulos discuss the latest neuroscientific research involving functional brain imaging and analysis.  The November 1st event was part of the "Tuesdays With A Scholar" program at the Hennepin-Southdale Library in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, MN.  The open-forum-style program produced many questions from enthusiastic audience members, and fostered discussions on Alzheimer's Disease, recovery from stroke, Parkinson's Disease, schizophrenia,  learning and memory, and techniques for keeping the brain sharp.

     The "Tuesdays With A Scholar" lecture series features a different topic each week, presented by some of the area's top scholars and authors representing the arts, humanities and sciences.  The event is sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Friends of the Southdale Library. The Twin Cities-based Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is affiliated with the University of Minnesota's College of Continuing Education, which provides adults with educational programs for personal enrichment and professional development.