Author: Crystal Mills

Call for nominations: The Phillip P. Smith Award in Cognitive Science

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Call for nominations: The Phillip P. Smith Award in Cognitive Science: Recognizing Vision and Innovation in the Study of Mind and Body

Phil Smith was a urologist at UConn Health during the earliest days of IBACS – his curiosity and vision led him to ask in what ways cognitive science might inform the relationship between the brain and the organs of the body whose regulation can at times be automatic and outside of conscious control, and at other times under seemingly full control of the conscious mind. Phil sadly passed away in 2022. His legacy continues through an ongoing research project across the Storrs and Farmington campuses. He brought together a band of “unusual suspects” – urologists, geriatricians, gerontologists, psychiatrists, cell biologists, and cognitive psychologists who are still working together today. In recognition of his vision, IBACS has created an award in Phil’s memory. The award consists of a crystal trophy inscribed with the recipient’s name and a design that captures Phil’s research into the relationship between brain and bladder.

IBACS seeks nominations for this year’s recipient of the Phillip P. Smith Award. Nominees can be students at any level, postdoctoral researchers, or pre-tenured faculty. Nominators should explain in what way the nominee has exhibited vision and innovation in respect of the relationship between mind and body (defining “body” to include physical aspects and systems of the body, and the “mind” to include anything that can loosely be construed as implicating cognition, emotion (and its regulation), human experience, and so on). We do not rule out any particular area or topic, so long as it is related to some aspect of psychological and bodily function (health policy, for example, that touches on such issues, the health and psychological sciences more broadly, and philosophy, as well as others, are all domains in which such vision and innovation might be expressed). A letter describing why the nominee is a worthy recipient of this award, as well as a copy of the nominee’s CV, should be sent to ibacs@uconn.edu by April 1, 2025. 

The award will be presented at the IBACS End of Year Event on May 7, 2025.

IBACS End-of-Year Event 5/7/25

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*** Details will be shared here as plans are finalized ***

Dear IBACS community,

We have finalized our schedule for the IBACS End-Of-Year Event on Wednesday, May 7. This exciting event will be in-person in the Rome Ballroom on the Storrs Campus from 9am – 2pm. Affiliated faculty and graduate students will give 5-minute data-blitz style talks on their IBACS-funded research, and we will hear brief presentations from figures in the administration. We strongly encourage anyone who has received IBACS support to participate. The event is particularly important this year – we are celebrating 10 years of interdisciplinary research!

May 7 Schedule  

9:00AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks from UConn Leadership 

9:30AM – Data Blitz (5-minute talks) 

10:30AM – Keynote Talks (30-minute talks)

11:30PM – Poster Session & Lunch

 1:30PM  – Wrap Up

Poster Session Information: The poster session will provide an opportunity for IBACS affiliates to network with the broader community. This year, we welcome project posters in addition to lab posters. We hope you will use this opportunity to highlight the research you are most excited to share with our broader community. Re-using recent conference posters or a lab poster printed for last year’s event is welcome.

We hope you can join us! A more detailed program and registration details will be shared after spring break. Please forward this email to your lab members and share with anyone who may be interested. Thank you!

IBACS Spring 2025 Seed Grant Applications Due 4/1

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The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) spring 2025 seed grant application is now open.  Seed Grants provide funding to eligible affiliates for interdisciplinary projects and research initiatives consistent with the IBACS mission. Successful applications typically involve collaborations that require expertise across laboratories and traditional disciplinary boundaries. IBACS prioritizes projects that will provide pilot data in support of applications for external funding and publications. Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Applicants are strongly advised submit efficient budgets to maximize the number of projects we are able to fund. Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 3/18/25), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal.
 
Open to: Faculty and postdoctoral affiliates
Key Application Dates: Large awards (>$10K) spring deadline: April 1, 2025.
Please note an important change for the academic year: Unfortunately, UCHC has pulled their financial contribution to IBACS for the 24/25 year due to budget cuts. As a result, we will be requiring that all proposals with a UCH investigator also have PIs with a Storrs collaborator. We hope this will change as we negotiate future support from UCHC.
 For full details on the seed grant program, including the letter of intent application, full seed grant application, and allowable costs, please check our seed grant webpage.
 
Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu.
The Institute is always looking to expand our base of University affiliates, helping researchers network and connect to generate collaborative research.  If you know of others in your department not yet affiliated with the Institute, please share the benefits of affiliation with them!

Welcome Back IBACS Affiliates – Important Spring Reminders

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IBACS is pleased to welcome our affiliates back to the Spring 2025 semester! If you haven’t already, please save the date for our annual event on Wednesday, May 7th. Details to come.

Please find below some very important Spring 2025 reminders about our services: 

DEI Survey Reminder: Members of the IBACS DEI Committee would like to hear from you! Please fill out this survey to share DEI topics you would be interested in, the format you prefer, and more. Thank you for your time!

Staffing and Research Support

Research Associate
The IBACS Research Associate, Gitte Joergensen, is a Ph.D.-trained half-time staff member who provides research support to Institute-affiliated investigators billed by an hourly rate. Examples of past services include but are not limited to: implementing experimental paradigms; programming eye-tracking software and data extraction, visualization, and analysis for eye-tracking studies; coordinating across multiple methods (e.g., eye tracking, fMRI, EEG, tDCS, TMS, fNIRS); supporting research tools; developing IRB protocol.

IBACS-BIRC Research Assistantships in Neuroimaging (I-BRAIN) Fellow Support
IBACS affiliates can work with I-BRAIN Fellows, who offer specialized skills to support projects that use the Brain Imaging Research Core’s facilities. Please email us at ibacs@uconn.edu if interested.

Research Facilities

Electrophysiology Resource Laboratory (E-Lab)
E-Lab is a shared research facility administered by IBACS. It offers space, equipment, training, and support for researchers who wish to monitor the human body’s physiological responses to a wide range of stimuli. Current equipment includes EEG (32 and 64 channel), eye-tracking, and tDCS. Click on the link above to find out more.

Murine Behavioral Neurogenetics Facility (MBNF)
MBNF is a shared research facility administered by IBACS. It provides behavioral phenotyping services for engineered mouse models and other mouse models with human clinical relevance. Click on the link above to find out more, including the fee structure.

Science Alliance Mobile (SAM)
This shared facility is a mobile laboratory for research, community outreach, training, and clinical services. It is available to anyone in the UConn community by reservation. Click on the link above to view photos and the fee structure. IBACS affiliates can apply for awards to use SAM if funds are not available.

Other Resources & Services

Desks in Arjona 311 Available 
There are desk spaces available for graduate students, post-docs, visiting scholars, and sponsored undergraduates working in IBACS-affiliated labs in Arjona 311. Desks can either be signed out individually or if you plan to use the space sporadically, access can be provided to use our flex-space desks. Access to our kitchen/lounge and meeting rooms will also be provided. Please contact Crystal to sign out a desk.

Arjona Meeting Space Available  
IBACS has three Arjona meeting/classroom spaces available for use by affiliates, including recent technology additions for hybrid participation. Please email Crystal to inquire about access to the spaces and making reservations (Arjona 324, 340, and 307 with capacity up to 22 people).

Facilities, Resources, & Equipment Documentation for NIH/NSF Applications
The Institute offers extensive documentation of facilities, resources, and equipment that can serve as a template for your external grant application. Email Crystal to request a copy.

External Application Review
EAR supports faculty affiliates applying for competitive external awards. IBACS-affiliated investigators can submit their proposal drafts for formal review by an advisory committee, who will make recommendations for the final proposal. Additionally, external advisors with domain-specific expertise can provide input to significantly enhance the likelihood of achieving a fundable score.
Open to: Faculty affiliates
Key Application Dates: accepted on a rolling basis

Spring 2025 Large & Small IBACS Seed Grant Funding 
Seed Grants provide funding to eligible faculty for interdisciplinary projects and research initiatives. Successful applications typically involve collaborations that require expertise across laboratories and traditional disciplinary boundaries. We prioritize projects that will lead to publications and external awards.
Open to: Faculty and postdoctoral affiliates
Key Application Dates: Large awards (>$10K) spring deadline: April 1, 2025. Small awards (<$10K): accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
Please note an important change for the academic year: Unfortunately, UCHC has pulled their financial contribution to IBACS for the 24/25 year due to budget cuts. As a result, we will be requiring that all proposals with a UCH investigator must also have at least one Storrs investigator. We hope this will change as we negotiate future support from UCHC.

Publication Awards  
The Institute awards funding to help researchers cover the cost of submitting their publications, providing affiliates with greater access to the top publications in their fields. The award provides a lump-sum up to $1.5K to cover full publication costs, or up to 50% of the costs with a $3K cap on IBACS contribution.
Open to: Faculty, graduate student, and postdoctoral researchers
Key Application Dates: accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted

Meeting/Event Support
IBACS offers funding for one-time or recurring meetings, workshops, and conferences that support the Institute’s mission.
Open to: Faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral, and external affiliates
Key Application Dates: accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted

Science Alliance Mobile Awards
IBACS affiliates can apply for awards to use our Science Alliance Mobile (SAM) for research or outreach. Please visit the webpage for more information and use the meeting/event support form to apply.

Undergraduate Research Supply Awards
This award provides funding for undergraduate students conducting an independent research project. The student’s project must contribute to the Institute’s mission. Students can apply for awards of up to $1,000.
Open to: Undergraduate students working with an IBACS-affiliated faculty member
Key Application Dates: spring deadline is February 4, 2025.

Undergraduate Summer Research Awards 
This award provides funding for undergraduate students conducting an independent research project. The student’s project must contribute to the Institute’s mission. The award consists of $5,000  or a single summer. Students may use up to $3,500 of the award on fellowship funds to covering living expenses and remaining funds to purchase materials and equipment in support of the research project.
Open to: Undergraduate students working with an IBACS-affiliated faculty member
Key Application Dates: closes on February 7, 2025.

Travel Awards
These awards provide up to $500 to be used for meeting/conference travel expenses where data will be presented that aligns with the IBACS mission.
Open to: Graduate student and postdoctoral affiliates; undergraduate students who are members of an IBACS-affiliated lab
Key Application Dates: accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted

IBACS Soapbox
Have something you want to share with our affiliates? Please submit to the IBACS soapbox! Anyone can submit on topics such as events, training opportunities, course announcements, talks, funding opportunities, and more. Our soapbox is sent out to our listserv every other Monday at 2pm.

Refer a Colleague to IBACS 
The Institute is always looking to expand our base of University affiliates, helping researchers network and connect to generate collaborative research.  If you know of others in your department that would like to be affiliated with the Institute, please forward this email or recommend they check out the benefits of affiliation by clicking on the link above.

 
Best wishes for a safe and productive year ahead!

Inge-Marie Eigsti, Director of Research, IBACS
Emily Myers, Director of Training, IBACS
John Salamone, Director of Communication and Outreach, IBACS
Crystal Mills, Institute Coordinator, IBACS

IBRAiN Research Assistantship Application Now Open!

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The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) is inviting graduate students to apply for the IBACS-BIRC Research Assistantships in Neuroimaging (IBRAiN) Program. These graduate assistantships are for 10 hours per week during the Fall (2025) and Spring (2026) semesters at the Brain Imaging Research Center Core (BIRC). During the first year, assistants will be trained in neuroimaging methods, data science, and reproducibility. They spend the remaining allocated hours at BIRC, supporting users of the facilities. Examples of work include:

  • Helping design and implement experimental procedures for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), etc.
  • Advising users on how to effectively prepare research participants.
  • Advising users on data analysis.
  • Overseeing use of equipment by others.
  • Training undergraduate students with basics of equipment use.
Applicants will be expected to commit to the full duration of the assistantship (fall & spring). Research assistants may also be eligible for summer funding and an allocation of 20 hours of resource time to be used at BIRC during the fellowship.

Students will participate in common training activities but will primarily specialize in one of three roles at BIRC. Applicants should indicate which role(s) they wish to be considered for: 

  1. Research Software Engineer. This role assists researchers in using BIRC facilities including equipment training, data analysis, sing existing software, and engineering and implementing new analytic tools when needed, implement changes to BIRC webpage when necessary. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or Julia, as well as Unix-like computing environments.
  2. User Support and Communication. This role assists researchers in using BIRC facilities, including experimental design and setup, equipment training, data management, and maintaining documentation resources. The candidate will also help maintain and update BIRC official social media sites, represent BIRC at the internal events. Qualified candidates will have prior experience in designing and running in-person experiments. Familiarity with Python or MATLAB is preferred.
  3. MRI Support. This role assists researchers in obtaining and analyzing functional and structural MRI data by learning how to operate the Siemens Prisma 3T MRI Scanner to perform brain research studies when necessary. Qualified candidates will have demonstrated an understanding of MRI safety, a high level of reliability, and the ability to work with participants across the lifespan and will be responsible to conduct safety trainings for the new users.

Key Application Dates: Opens on December 4, 2024, and closes January 6, 2025.  

Subject to funding constraints, these assistantships could be renewed for a further year. Please view full details on our IBRAiN webpage before applying. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu. 

Reminder: IBACS Undergraduate Research Supply Awards

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IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research supply awards! Please share with the undergraduate students in your labs.
 
This award provides funding for undergraduate students conducting an independent research project consistent with the Institute’s mission. Students can apply for awards of up to $1,000.
Open to: Undergraduate students working with an IBACS-affiliated faculty member . Recipients cannot apply for another grant within the same academic year, however, are eligible for the summer research grant program, provided that they are still a UConn student at the time.
Key Application Dates: The fall deadline has closed; spring deadline is February 4, 2025.
 
Applicants must fill out the online application, and also submit via the online application, a relatively short research plan (maximum of 6,000 characters, approximately 3 pages). The funding is meant to defray the research-related costs such as materials & supplies, software, animal or participant-related costs. The budget should reflect these expenditures.
The IBACS undergraduate award academic year applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:
  • The project description is well written and clearly explains the project.
  • The project clearly focuses on a research area associated with the IBACS mission.
  • The budget is itemized, appropriate to the project described, and reports the total cost of the project (even if it exceeds the funding requested).
  • The faculty advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly.
  • The student and his/her project meet the eligibility criteria.
  • The student has secured research compliance approval(s) if necessary for the project. No award will be issued until documentation of approval(s) is received.
 
Please visit the award webpage for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions.

COGS/ECOM Talk on 4/19: Dr. Psyche Loui

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COGS and ECOM are excited to announce a joint talk on 4/19 by Dr. Psyche Loui from Northeastern University. Psyche Loui, PhD, is a psychology and neuroscience researcher, a musician, Associate Professor of Creativity and Creative Practice at Northeastern University, and Director of the Music, Imaging, and Neural Dynamics Laboratory (MIND Lab).

Date/Time: Friday, 4/19/24 from 4:00pm – 5:30pm Eastern Standard Time

In-Person Location: McHugh Hall 305 

Zoom Option: https://uconn-edu.zoom.us/j/97306159796?pwd=ZHI1NTh1R1dPZTdYNS95U3hnN2QyZz09

Meeting ID: 973 0615 9796    Passcode: 391851

Talk Title: The Sciences of New Musical Systems, and Their Implications for Brain Health

Abstract: Music is one of life’s greatest pleasures. While abundant evidence points to the role of predictability (i.e. the knowledge of what comes next) in the experience of pleasure, little is known about how predictable musical features (e.g. melody, harmony, rhythm) come to be rewarding. I will present new work in my lab on behavioral and neuroimaging studies of the relationship between musical predictions and their reward value. Our behavioral studies test whether and how it is possible to acquire reward value solely from newly-formed predictions, by exposing participants to novel, acoustically-controlled musical stimuli with different statistical properties without extrinsic paired rewards. Our neuroimaging studies capitalize on activity of the dopaminergic reward system, and its connectivity to the auditory system, to test for individual differences in reward sensitivity from music. Results show that this reward sensitivity is robust but malleable (i.e. both a state and a trait), and lies at the heart of both active and receptive music-based interventions for a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders.

Meetings: If you are interested in meeting with Dr. Loui during the day or attending dinner in the evening, please email crystal.mills@uconn.edu. 

IBACS Large Seed Grant Applications Due 4/1

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A reminder that The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) has two large seed grant cycles per year. Our next deadline is 4/1/24 and we are currently accepting letters of intent and full applications.

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The seed grant program is intended to fund research consistent with the IBACS mission. Large Seed Grant applications (>$10,000 but <$25,000) are time-limited to accommodate GA/TA assignment. Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 3/18/24), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal.

Our Spring deadline for Large Seed Grants will be April 1st, 2024. Small Seed Grant applications (<$10,000) are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.

Seed funding is intended to support direct research costs such as supplies, participant fees, animal costs, and student support. Review criteria seek innovative, novel, and collaborative projects in the field of brain and cognitive sciences.  Postdocs can also apply, with a faculty mentor as co-PI. Undergraduates are directed to separate academic/summer funding. Full details on the seed grant program, including applications (letter of intent and full seed app) and allowable costs, please check our website. 

The Institute also invites applications for affiliate memberships.  

Any questions should be directed to the Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937. 

11/10 COGS & SLHS Colloquium: Dr. Samuel Mathias

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The Cognitive Science Program and the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department are co-hosting a talk on 11/10!   

Speaker: Dr. Samuel Mathias, Professor of Psychology from the Department of Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School

Time & Location: 4PM, Friday November 10, 2023, in McHugh Hall Room 206

Talk Title: “Genetic and environmental influences on hearing, cocktail-party listening, and cognition”

Abstract: Everyday hearing requires solving the cocktail-party problem, or segregating and attending to the relevant parts of complex auditory scenes. There are huge individual differences in cocktail-party listening abilities. People with clinical hearing loss generally struggle with cocktail-party listening due to impaired basic auditory sensitivity; however, others experience similar difficulties despite having “normal” sensitivity. Conventional wisdom says that such individual differences are due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors, although the specific factors and their relative weights are poorly understood. This talk will describe preliminary work and future plans to identify specific genetic and environmental factors influencing hearing abilities, including basic auditory sensitivity and cocktail-party listening. We will also discuss how these abilities relate to cognition, with a view towards leveraging these relationships to better understand the distinct and shared etiologies of presbycusis, cognitive decline, and dementia.

Meetings: If you are interested in meeting with Dr. Mathias during the day before his talk or in dinner on Friday evening, please email Crystal: crystal.mills@uconn.edu. Thank you!