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IBACS Summer Graduate Student Fellowship Applications Due 12/2

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The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS) is inviting applications to its Graduate Fellowship Program.

These summer fellowships are intended for graduate students working on topics with relevance (broadly construed) to the Brain and Cognitive Sciences. IBACS Graduate Fellows attend a short grant-writing workshop and will be expected to submit an application to the NSF GRFP, NRSA (pre- or post-doctoral fellowship), or equivalent.

Deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, December 2nd, 2022.

Graduate students who are not US citizens are eligible to apply and are expected to work with their advisor to develop an external research proposal if they are not eligible for graduate fellowships. Students who were fellows in summer 2021 may apply if they submitted the external grant proposal they developed last year and it was not funded, with the expectation that they will revise their previous grant or develop a new one.

Please refer to the full details here before you apply. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu. 

Reminder: IBACS Undergraduate Research Awards

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The application period for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 research grant program opens today, September 1st, 2022, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on February 20, 2023. The academic year applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and awards will be made until funds are exhausted, or up until the application deadline. 

It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  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) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. 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.

 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. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on February 20, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 13, 2023. 

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 advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
  • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
  • 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.

       

      IBACS Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2022spring_2023/

      Please visit our website for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions. 

      Save the Date: 25th Neuroscience at Storrs

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                  The Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience Announces: 

                        The 25th Annual Neuroscience at Storrs 

      A Two-Day Celebration of Molecular, Cellular, Behavioral, Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience 

                              November 8th and 9th 2022 

      DAY I. Tuesday November 8th 4:00 pm

      Dodd Center Konover Auditorium 

      Amanda Lauer Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University

      Title: “Role of the auditory brain-to-ear efferent feedback system in hearing across the lifespan”

      DAY II. Wednesday November 9th

      Dodd Center Konover Auditorium 

      3:00-3:45 Grad Student/Postdoc Data Blitz

      3:45-4:30 Trainee Career Panel

      4:30-5:30 Amy Newman Ph.D., NIDA Intramural Laboratories

      Title: “Novel and atypical dopamine transport inhibitors for the treatment of psychostimulant use disorders”

      Bousfield PSYC Atrium

      6:00-8:30 Poster Session and Reception

      Undergraduate Research Program Now Open

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      IBACS is happy to announce another year of the undergraduate research grant program! Please share with the undergraduate students in your labs.

      The application period for the Fall 2022/Spring 2023 research grant program opens today, September 1st, 2022, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on February 20, 2023. The academic year applications are reviewed on arolling basis and awards will be made until funds are exhausted, or up until the application deadline. 

      It is expected that applicants will be conducting research with IBACS faculty members, focusing on any research area associated with the IBACS mission.  Faculty sponsors will need to supply a letter of recommendation. Once the applicant lists the faculty advisor of the project in the form, an email will be sent to the faculty member with directions for how to submit the letter.  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) and a budget that explains in detail how the funds will be spent. The application link is listed below. It is recommended that the student first compose the research plan and budget using a word processing program, and then upload the final versions on to the website.

      This program is not meant to provide direct financial support to students. Instead, it is meant to provide support for the research. The account will be set up with the faculty sponsor after the award is given. 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.

       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. Please note that the application period for the summer research grant program will open on February 20, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be 11:59 pm on March 13, 2023. 

      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 advisor is familiar with the student’s project and rates the student’s work to date highly. 
      • Where project applications are equally meritorious, the reviewers will take note of how the student’s project will contribute to the advisor’s research goals.
      • 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.

           

          IBACS Fall 2022/Spring 2023 Application: https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/ibacs_undergraduate_research_grant_-_fall_2022spring_2023/

          Please visit our website for more information and contact our Institute Coordinator, Crystal Mills at crystal.mills@uconn.edu or (860) 486-4937 if you have any questions

          New Call for IBACS Seed Grant

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          The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CT IBACS) is pleased to announce a new call for applications to its seed grant fund.

           

          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 assignment; the Fall deadline is October 1st, 2022. Please submit letters of intent as soon as possible, but at least 2 weeks prior to the seed grant application deadline (by 9/16/22), to allow time for review and feedback prior to submission of the full proposal.

          A reminder that our Spring deadline will be April 1st, 2023. 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.

          Reminder: Register for the IBACS Meet & Speak on 4/29

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          A reminder that registration is open for the IBACS Meet & Speak on 4/29! Details can be found below, including the talk title and abstract for our keynote talk by Dr. Takao Hensch at Harvard University. We hope you can join us!

          Dear IBACS community,

          We are excited to officially invite you to attend the IBACS 2022 Meet and Speak event on Friday, April 29th from 2-6pm.This event will be in-person in Bousfield A106.

          Affiliated faculty will give 10-minute talks, most of which are on the research they have carried out, or propose carrying out, with seed funding previously awarded by IBACS. Affiliated graduate students who have received IBACS funding will be presenting 5-minute “datablitz” style talks.

          The IBACS Meet & Speak will provide an opportunity to learn more about the diverse research that IBACS affiliates are engaged in, and will provide a forum for cross-disciplinary networking. We hope you can join us, please register here for all or part of the event.

          Schedule

          2:00PM – Introduction

          2:10PM – Faculty Talks (10 minutes each)

          3:00PM – Graduate Student Data Blitz (5 minutes each)

          3:30PM – Keynote Speaker: Dr. Takao Hensch, Harvard University

          Talk Title: Balancing Brain Plasticity/Stability

          Abstract: Brain function is largely shaped by experience in early life, creating windows of both great opportunity and vulnerability. Our work has focused on the biological basis for such critical periods, identifying both “triggers” and “brakes” on plasticity. Strikingly, the maturation of particular inhibitory circuits is pivotal for the onset timing of these windows. Manipulations of their emergence can either accelerate or delay developmental trajectories regardless of chronological age. Notably, many neurodevelopmental disorders are linked to alterations in excitatory-inhibitory balance, suggesting shifted critical period timing as part of their etiology. Closure of critical periods in turn reflects an active process, rather than a purely passive loss of plasticity factors. Lifting these brakes allows the reopening of plastic windows later in life, but may also underlie instability in disease states. Thus, understanding how brain plasticity and stability are balanced throughout life offers new insight into mental illness and novel therapeutic strategies for recovery of function in adulthood.

          4:30PM – Panel Discussion: Featuring Takao Hensch, Erika Skoe, and Natale Sciolino

          Innovations and the intersections of technology in Neuro/Cognitive Science

          5:00PM – Wine and Cheese Social in Atrium

          A more detailed program including speaker names and talk titles will be shared soon.

          Best,

          Holly Fitch, IBACS Director

          Crystal Mills, IBACS Coordinator

          Join us for COGS Colloquium: Dr. Hady Ba

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          Please join the Cognitive Science Program on 4/22 for our next Colloquium!
           
          Image of Hady Ba

          Speaker: Dr. Hady Ba, Associate-Professor of Philosophy at Cheikh Anta Diop University, Visiting Fullbright Scholar  

          Time & Location: 4pm, Friday, April 22, 2022 in Oak 117. Light refreshments will be provided. 

          Talk Title: Ape Linguistics and the Chomsky/Norvig debate 

          Abstract: According to Chomsky, statistical models of language, even though pragmatically successful can’t teach us anything about the nature of language which is rule based. Norvig disagree. According to him science goes from accumulation of data to explanation and back. In this talk, I’ll first show that despite advances in the statistical treatment of language, what happens is that the most successful algorithms for translation, completion and dialogue seem to mimic our brains treatment of language but have some limitations that we don’t know yet how to get rid of. Does this mean that we need better linguistic theories to get to the next step? To respond to this question, I will use data from animal linguistic cognition. I’ll argue that our experiments in teaching language to monkeys and the use by some researchers of tools from linguistics to analyze natural communicative production of apes show that there is a very specific, probably innate, component in humans’ ability to not only produce but also understand language. I will argue that contrary to what Chomsky think, this component goes beyond universal grammar and is probably due to the very peculiar nature of human sociability.  

          Bio: An Associate-Professor of Philosophy at Cheikh Anta Diop University, Hady BA is a Fulbright Scholar from Senegal. He holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from The Jean Nicod Institute in Paris. Before coming back to Dakar, Hady Ba has worked on the development of Natural Language Processing tools that uses open-source resources like the web to detect and anticipate security threats. He’s currently writing a book on the epistemology of the Global South and has an ongoing project on animal cognition comparing human and non-human cognition.  

          Meeting opportunities: Dr. Ba will be available during the day of his talk for individual or small-group meetings on Zoom or in-person. Please contact Crystal at crystal.mills@uconn.edu if you are interested.

          Two Postdoctoral Research Positions

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          The Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in
          Leipzig is an internationally recognized research institute of the Max
          Planck Society and is dedicated to the study of human cognitive
          abilities and brain processes. The Department of Neurology offers PhD
          positions for

          Deadline: 1 May 2022
          **Two Doctoral Candidates (TVöD E13, 65%, 3 years)** in cognitive
          neuroscience and neurophysiology.

          The general topic of the position is the physiology of perception,
          cognition, and emotion. The positions involve the acquisition and
          particularly the analysis of behavioural (e.g., movement parameters,
          task performance), subjective (e.g., questionnaires, ratings), and
          neuroimaging / electrophysiological (e.g., EEG, ECG) data. The positions
          are part of a collaboration between neuroscience and computer graphics.
          We will investigate the neurocognition of perceiving (virtual) humans by
          acquiring multimodal (mind-brain-body) data using immersive technologies
          (e.g., immersive VR). The precise research topic will be adapted to the
          interests and specific qualifications of the candidate.

          Prerequisites are an outstanding record in a relevant area of
          neurocognitive research. Educational background could be from cognitive
          (neuro-) science, psychology, medicine, neuroscience, computer science,
          engineering, data science, physics, or mathematics. Excellent
          programming and statistical skills (Python, Matlab, R) are required. One
          position requires excellent prior experience with EEG/MEG signal
          processing relating to neural oscillations and evoked responses. We are
          looking for scientifically ambitious people willing to work in a highly
          cooperative team.

          You will have an opportunity to join the Institute’s International Max
          Planck Research School (IMPRS CoNI) and to participate in graduate
          training programs. You will receive continuous supervision.

          The candidates will be part of an enthusiastic team embedded in a
          world-leading research environment with outstanding facilities and
          research infrastructure (four 3T MR scanners, one of them in a clinical
          setting, a Siemens Connectom MR scanner, a 7T MR scanner, MEG, EEG,
          fNIRS, TMS, TDCS, focused ultrasound, VR labs, eye tracking and
          psychophysics labs). All facilities are supported by experienced IT and
          physics staff. In addition to strong co-operations within the Department
          of Neurology and with the Clinic of Cognitive Neurology at the
          University Hospital Leipzig, there are also strong interactions among
          all departments and research groups at the MPI-CBS.

          We look forward to receiving your complete online application (reference
          number “PhD 09/22”) at:https://www.cbs.mpg.de/vacancies/open-positions.
          The application should include a cover letter, personal statement, CV,
          list of publications (if available), and two letters of recommendations.
          The closing date for applications is **May 1, 2022**. The starting date
          is June 1, 2022, or later, and the duration is three years. Salary is
          based on regulations of the Max Planck Society (typically 65% TVöD level
          13). The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of
          individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages
          applications from such individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society
          strives for gender equity and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.

          Further information with regard to the research can be found on the
          website of the Department of Neurology (particularly the groups “Neural
          interactions and Dynamics” and “Mind-Body-Emotion”):
          https://www.cbs.mpg.de/departments/neurology. For questions, please
          contact Dr. Vadim Nikulin (nikulin@cbs.mpg.de) or Dr. Michael Gaebler
          (gaebler@cbs.mpg.de).

          Join the Cognitive Sci Program on 4/22 for our next Colloquium!

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          Image of Hady Ba

          Speaker: Dr. Hady Ba, Associate-Professor of Philosophy at Cheikh Anta Diop University, Visiting Fullbright Scholar  

          Time & Location: 4pm, Friday, April 22, 2022 in Oak 117. Light refreshments will be provided. 

          Talk Title: Ape Linguistics and the Chomsky/Norvig debate 

          Abstract: According to Chomsky, statistical models of language, even though pragmatically successful can’t teach us anything about the nature of language which is rule based. Norvig disagree. According to him science goes from accumulation of data to explanation and back. In this talk, I’ll first show that despite advances in the statistical treatment of language, what happens is that the most successful algorithms for translation, completion and dialogue seem to mimic our brains treatment of language but have some limitations that we don’t know yet how to get rid of. Does this mean that we need better linguistic theories to get to the next step? To respond to this question, I will use data from animal linguistic cognition. I’ll argue that our experiments in teaching language to monkeys and the use by some researchers of tools from linguistics to analyze natural communicative production of apes show that there is a very specific, probably innate, component in humans’ ability to not only produce but also understand language. I will argue that contrary to what Chomsky think, this component goes beyond universal grammar and is probably due to the very peculiar nature of human sociability.  

          Bio: An Associate-Professor of Philosophy at Cheikh Anta Diop University, Hady BA is a Fulbright Scholar from Senegal. He holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from The Jean Nicod Institute in Paris. Before coming back to Dakar, Hady Ba has worked on the development of Natural Language Processing tools that uses open-source resources like the web to detect and anticipate security threats. He’s currently writing a book on the epistemology of the Global South and has an ongoing project on animal cognition comparing human and non-human cognition.  

          Meeting opportunities: Dr. Ba will be available during the day of his talk for individual or small-group meetings on Zoom or in-person. Please contact Crystal at crystal.mills@uconn.edu if you are interested.

          Join us at the IBACS Meet & Speak on 4/29

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          Dear IBACS community, 
          We are excited to officially invite you to attend the IBACS 2022 Meet and Speak event on Friday, April 29th from 2-6pm. This event will be in-person in Bousfield A106. 
           
          Affiliated faculty will give 10-minute talks, most of which are on the research they have carried out, or propose carrying out, with seed funding previously awarded by IBACS. Affiliated graduate students who have received IBACS funding will be presenting 5-minute “datablitz” style talks. 
           
          The IBACS Meet & Speak will provide an opportunity to learn more about the diverse research that IBACS affiliates are engaged in, and will provide a forum for cross-disciplinary networking. We hope you can join us, please register here for all or part of the event. 

          Schedule 

          2:00PM – Introduction
          2:10PM – Faculty Talks (10 minutes each)
          3:00PM – Graduate Student Data Blitz (5 minutes each)
          3:30PM – Keynote Speaker: Dr. Takao Hensch, Harvard University
          4:30PM – Panel Discussion: Featuring Takao Hensch, Erika Skoe, and Natale Sciolino
          5:00PM – Wine and Cheese Social in Atrium
          A more detailed program including speaker names, talk titles, and the panel discussion topic will be shared soon.