phd in theoretical neuroscience

The Center for Brain Science at Harvard is home to a vibrant community of theorists modeling neural circuits, behavior, and cognition. Our emphasis is on gathering people and ideas from many fields to understand the computational bases of intelligence in humans, other animals, and machines.

Computational neuroscience. Deep learning. Computational cognitive science — CBS faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and visitors are advancing the frontiers of all these areas.

We offer rigorous, interdisciplinary training for students and postdocs. We host seminars, symposia, workshops, journal clubs, debates, and social events.

Faculty and Associates

Jan Drugowitsch

Sam Gershman

Talia Konkle

Petros Koumoutsakos

Gabriel Kreiman

Cengiz Pehlevan

Hanspeter Pfister

Kanaka Rajan

Maurice Smith

Haim Sompolinsky

Hidenori Tanaka

Tomer Ullman

Leslie Valiant

NeuroTheory Initiative

The CBS NeuroTheory Initiative is a hub for Harvard scientists discovering the computational bases of intelligence in humans, other animals, and machines. We offer rigorous, interdisciplinary training for students and postdocs.

We host seminars, symposia, workshops, journal clubs, debates, and social events. We are bringing together ideas and talent from neuroscience, computer science, psychology, physics, applied mathematics, and statistics to understand the nature of intelligence. In addition to CBS faculty, we are joining forces with others from around Harvard.

With the astonishing successes of artificial intelligence in recent years—recognizing faces, translating languages, generating cogent text, driving cars—CBS scientists have increasingly turned to thorny problems of how our brains achieve intelligent cognition.

Advances in AI are proceeding at an historic pace, yet it is widely acknowledged that AI falls far short of the flexible intelligence evident in humans and animals. Animal brains—­­­­and human brains in particular—are nature’s existence proof that physical mechanisms can give rise to general intelligence.

The CBS effort to discover the bases of intelligent cognition draws together neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science. As an essential first step towards this goal, we are building a coherent theoretical community aimed at understanding natural and machine intelligence. This group is closely allied with experimentalists studying the neural bases of intelligent cognition in humans and experimental animals. Theorists—with backgrounds in computer science, physics, statistics, mathematics, and psychology—engage in frequent interactions to build an intellectual framework for understanding the complexities of intelligence.

Our NeuroTheory Initiative is expanding the research and education at Harvard in the multidisciplinary field of theoretical neuroscience-cognition-AI.

Thanks to generous support from Dean of Science Christopher Stubbs, we have begun with a set of shared, interactive activities. We are building on faculty strength in these fields, which is spread across schools and departments but is focused in the FAS and SEAS. A robust Visitors program is establishing close ties to industry, where rapid advances in AI are being made.

We launched the NeuroTheory Initiative in the spring of 2022 with a kickoff event featuring posters, a panel discussion, and talks by George Alvarez, Nada Amin, Demba Ba, Boaz Barak, Jonathan Frankle, Sam Gershman, Sham Kakade, Talia Konkle, Hima Lakkaraju, David Nelson, Cengiz Pehlevan, Hanspeter Pfister, and Tomer Ullman.

Our colleagues from NTT Research at Harvard, Hidenori Tanaka and Gautam Reddy, host visiting graduate students and interns throughout the summer and continuing into the academic year. In August 2022, CBS hosted a 2-day workshop on Reinforcement Learning, featuring talks, posters, panel discussions, introductory tutorials, and many informal conversations. Speakers included Sam Gershman, Petros Koumoutsakos, Poornima Kumar, Lucy Lai, Jack Lindsey, Susan Murphy, Gautam Reddy, Sandra Romero Pinto, Maurice Smith, Anna Trella, Naoshige Uchida, and John Vastola.

We have assembled a group of Harvard scientists with a key research interest aimed at developing a theoretical understanding of intelligence. This group of faculty (listed below), with their trainees, forms the core of the NeuroTheory Initiative. They are drawn from Applied Math, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Neurobiology, Physics, Psychology, and Statistics. As in fields like physics with a mature theory-experiment tradition, the CBS NeuroTheory Initiative encourages close interactions with experimental neuroscientists and cognitive scientists.

In addition to the CBS Theory faculty listed above, others in the Harvard community are part of the CBS NeuroTheory Initiative.

George Angelo Alvarez

David Alvarez-Melis

Morgane Austern

Emery Neal Brown

Finale Doshi-Velez

Jonathan Frankle

Lucas Janson

Sham Kakade

Hima Lakkaraju

Susan Murphy

David Nelson

David Parkes

Horng-Tzer Yau

Swartz Postdoctoral Fellowships

We currently have one opening for a Swartz Postdoctoral Fellow, beginning in summer or fall of 2024 . The Fellow will join a vibrant group of theoretical and experimental neuroscientists and theorists in allied fields at Harvard’s Center for Brain Science.

Read more about the Swartz Program HERE .

Please read below for information about how to apply for a Swartz Fellowship.

We will have one postdoctoral opening, beginning summer or fall of 2024 . Interested applicants should immediately send a CV, statement of research interests, and arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Haim Sompolinsky ( [email protected] ) or Kenneth Blum ( [email protected] ). Applications should have “Swartz Fellowship” in the subject line. Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.

The Center for Brain Science includes faculty doing research on a wide variety of topics, including neural mechanisms of rodent learning, decision-making, and sex-specific and social behaviors; human motor control; behavioral and fMRI studies of human cognition; large-scale reconstruction of detailed brain circuitry; circuit mechanisms of learning and behavior in worms, larval flies, and larval zebrafish; circuit mechanisms of individual differences in flies and humans; rodent and fly olfaction; inhibitory circuit development; and reinforcement learning in rodents and humans.

Graduate Programs

Graduate students in many Harvard programs are pursuing theoretical neuroscience from different directions. Follow these links to learn more about each program.

Applied Mathematics

Bioengineering, computer science, molecules, cells & organisms, program in neuroscience (pin).

These are representative courses drawn from many that are offered each semester.

Spring 2023

Upcoming events, news and publications.

• NTT Research gift establishes CBS-NTT Fellowship Program April 12, 2024 Gift supports postdoctoral research in the physics of intelligence…
• Swartz Postdoctoral Fellowship October 20, 2023 We have one opening for a Swartz Postdoctoral Fellow, beginning in summer or fall of 2024….
• Ba, Konkle, Pehlevan, and Sompolinsky named inaugural Kempner Institute Associate Faculty April 5, 2023 Demba Ba, Talia Konkle, Cengiz Pehlevan, and Haim Sompolinsky were named the Institute’s inaugural cohort of “associate faculty.”…

Ben Sorscher, S. Ganguli, H. Sompolinsky

• Haim Sompolinsky deepens ties to Harvard September 7, 2022 Haim Sompolinsky has joined Harvard full-time, as a Professor in Residence….
• RL at Harvard workshop September 1, 2022 Thank you to everyone, especially Paul Masset, for helping to make the CBS NeuroTheory workshop a success! Click on the link below to see some photos Souvik Mandal took at the event….
• Haim Sompolinsky wins Gruber Foundation Neuroscience Prize May 17, 2022 Haim has been awarded the Gruber Foundation Neuroscience Prize, along with Larry Abbott, Emery Brown, and Terry Sejnowski “for pioneering contributions to computational and theoretical neuroscience.”…

Faculty are in many locations. We have a suite of offices on the first floor of the Northwest Building where many theorists are gathered.

Northwest Building 52 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138

The Kempner Institute

Seeking to understand the basis of intelligence in natural and artificial systems.

Kempner Fellows

The Kempner Institute has opened the application for the next cohort of Kempner Research Fellows. The application is open now and will close on  October 9, 2023 . The 3 year fellowship provides a generous stipend, funding for research, and access to our GPU cluster. We seek candidates who are working on or more of the following areas:

• Foundations of intelligence, including mathematical and computational models of intelligence, cognitive theories of intelligence, and the neurobiological basis of intelligence.
• Applications of artificial intelligence, including natural language processing, visual scene processing and analysis, and to the mechanistic analysis of high dimensional neural and behavioral data. The study of these applications can either be from an engineering standpoint (e.g., development of new methodologies or advancing the state of the art) as well as from a scientific one (e.g., achieving a better understanding of deep learning).

To be eligible, a candidate must be, at the earliest, in the final year of their Ph.D. training and at the latest, have received their PhD no earlier than 9/1/2021. See this link for more information and how to apply:  https://www.harvard.edu/kempner-institute/opportunities/the-kempner-institute-postdoctoral-fellowship/  

Email  [email protected]  for any questions about the position.

Neuroscience, PhD

School of medicine.

The Department of Neuroscience offers an interdisciplinary program designed to train doctoral students for independent research and teaching in neuroscience. It is the goal of the program to ensure that candidates for the Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. degrees obtain a background covering molecular, cellular, systems, and cognitive approaches to neuroscience, as well as receive training that brings them to the forefront of research in their particular area of interest. A series of core courses in neuroscience, along with advanced electives, seminar series, laboratory rotations, and original independent dissertation research, form the Neuroscience Graduate Training Program.

Students enter the program from different backgrounds and the laboratories in which they elect to work cover different disciplines; therefore, the program is tailored to fit the needs of individual students. The academic year at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is divided into four quarters plus a summer semester. Courses are designed so that students have ample time to become involved in laboratory rotations. These laboratory rotations expose the student to a variety of current research techniques in neuroscience and provide an opportunity for the student to select a laboratory in which to conduct dissertation research. Scheduling of the three rotations is adjusted to make the most convenient schedule for each student. The rotations are usually completed by the end of the first full year in the program. Most students begin their thesis research at the beginning of their second year.

For more information, please visit The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience webpage: http://neuroscience.jhu.edu.

Financial Aid

The program provides tuition remission plus a stipend at or above the National Institutes of Health Predoctoral level for all students. All entering and first-year students are encouraged to apply for individual fellowships such as those sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Vivien Thomas PhD Scholars at JHU The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is a new endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically black college and university ( HBCU ) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. More information about the VTSI program is available at this link:  https://provost.jhu.edu/about/vivien-thomas-scholars-initiative/ . To be considered for the VTSI, all application and supplementary materials must be received by  December 1st .

Admission Requirements

We use a holistic approach to evaluating applicants and look forward to reading your application. We are most enthusiastic about applicants who have taken full advantage of the opportunities available at their undergraduate institution and through other summer or postbac experiences. Our class size is typically ~18 students per year.

Applicants are expected to have received a B.S. or B.A. prior to enrolling in the graduate program. Laboratory research experience prior to enrollment is also desirable. If you have research experience, please describe your research in your Statement of Interest and Career Objectives and indicate the number of months engaged in full-time and part-time research on your CV. Students who do well in our program typically have a strong academic foundation in areas of biological or physical sciences. Some of the courses that prepare students well include general biology, neuroscience, mathematics through calculus, general physics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics, engineering, or computer science.

NOTE: The Neuroscience Program DOES NOT require GRE scores. 

Program Requirements

A year-long core course provides an integrated overview of molecular and cellular neuroscience, neuroanatomy and systems, and cognitive neuroscience. This course is aimed at providing Neuroscience graduate students with a foundation for posing meaningful questions in their area of interest.  During the first two years, students are required to take 6 graduate level core courses that provide rigorous training in principles of neuroscience research. In addition, students in the first year attend research symposia and complete lab rotations to introduce them to research. Students in the program are also required to participate in core program activities such as seminars, journal clubs, a quantitative analysis boot camp, career development courses and various program events. In addition, each student selects advanced electives offered by members of the Neuroscience Training Program or other departments at the Medical School.

Seminar Program

The Neuroscience Training Program conducts several seminar series to ensure that students are exposed to recent work by researchers from across the country and the world as well as by Hopkins faculty and fellows. Graduate trainees participate actively in these series throughout their training, including inviting and hosting three speakers each year. A weekly lecture is given by an outstanding researcher in some field of neuroscience. Seminars are selected so that an overall balance of subject matter is covered yearly. Students are given an opportunity to meet with each speaker for questions and discussion. Weekly lunchtime talks are presented on current literature by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Since an ability to communicate scientific work clearly is essential, graduate students receive close guidance in preparing and evaluating their journal club presentations. Once a month, the faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students from one laboratory present and discuss the ongoing research in that laboratory. This provides an informal setting to discuss research being conducted in the laboratories of the Neuroscience Training Program and gives advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a forum for presenting their work.

Requirements for the PhD Degree

A minimum residency of two academic years is required. During the course of graduate study, the student must successfully complete the required course requirements. An oral examination, conducted as prescribed by the Doctor of Philosophy Board, must be completed by the end of the second year. The student must then conduct original research and describe this research in a written thesis dissertation, which must be approved by the students Thesis Committee and the Doctor of Philosophy Board.

Training Facilities

The Training Program is centered in the Department of Neuroscience. The Training Program utilizes laboratory facilities located in the Department of Neuroscience plus several other basic and clinical departments closely associated with the Neuroscience Department. All of these laboratories are within a short distance of each other. Modern state of the art facilities for research in molecular biology, neurophysiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology, and morphology are available. The Mind/Brain Institute, located on the Homewood Campus of the University, is a group of laboratories devoted to the investigation of the neural mechanisms of higher mental function and particularly to the mechanisms of perception. All of the disciplines required to address these questions are represented in the Institute. These include neurophysiology, psychology, theoretical neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and cognitive science. All of the faculty in the Mind/Brain Institute are members of the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Combined M.D./Ph.D. Program

A subset of the current predoctoral trainees in the Neuroscience Program are candidates for both Ph.D. and M.D. degrees. Applications for admission to the combined program are considered by the M.D./Ph.D. Committee of the School of Medicine. Application forms for the School of Medicine contain a section requesting information relevant to graduate study. Applicants interested in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program should complete this section also, and indicate specifically their interest in the “Neuroscience Training Program”. If application to the combined M.D./Ph.D. program proves unsuccessful and the applicant wishes to be considered for graduate studies, they must notify the Admissions Office of the Neuroscience Training Program by separate letter.

Theoretical Neuroscience

In short , theoretical neuroscientists are centrally interested in understanding the computational and mathematical principles behind brain function. Practically speaking, this research is important for both our understanding health-related issues and the development of future technologies. Already, a better understanding of neural systems has lead to important breakthroughs in treating brain-related illnesses. For instance, theoretical models allow us to understand and tailor medical interventions, such as the treatment of Parkinsonian tremor with deep-brain stimulation. Similarly, theoretical neuroscientists model the effects of various pharmacological interventions, improving our understanding of their precise effects (e.g., serotonin reuptake inhibitors used to treat depression and other anxiety disorders). Other health-related applications include brain-machine interface development, resulting in the construction of more effective prosthetics. New theoretical insights into neural coding have recently allowed monkeys to control robotic arms through direct neural implants.

In the context of information technologies, the insights gained from studying a successful, complex and behaviourly sophisticated system should prove ground-breaking for developing the next generation of intelligent machines. It has been clearly established that we do not have appropriate tools for engineering large, complex systems (for instance, only 30% of large software projects are successful). However, nature has solved such problems in ways we do not currently understand. The study of theoretical neuroscience provides new insights into nature’s solutions. In some areas (e.g., face recognition), neurally inspired algorithms are the state-of-the-art. However, there is much more we can learn regarding complex control, pattern recognition, learning, and dynamical systems from reverse-engineering the brain.

In recognition of the importance of theoretical neuroscience, significant international commitments of research funding have recently been announced, including programs from the European Union (Cognitive Systems Program, $72 million/5 years), the United States (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architecture Program), National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health (NSF/NIH) (Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience, $6 million/year), and Japan (RIKEN Institute, Creating the Brain Division $9 million/year). Unfortunately, Canada does not have similarly targeted funds, although Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Canadian Foundation of Innovation (CFI) fund research in the area through their general programs. As a result, there are few institutionalized organizations for theoretical neuroscience in Canada.  

Brain Day 2023 Videos On-line

The videos from Brain Day 2023 are now available on line at our youtube channel . Hope you enjoy.

CTN Masters Student Graduate Sugandha Sharma Appears on Generally Intelligent Podcast

Sugandha Sharma, masters student graduate of the University of Waterloo's CTN, discusses her research and time in the laboratory of CTN Founding Director Chris Eliasmith as well as her current PhD research at MIT on the Generally Intelligent Podcast. Give it a listen.

Sue Ann Campbell Presents at International Conference on Mathematical Neurosci 2022

CTN Research Day 2023 Oct 17 16:30 - 19:00 QNC 0101

The Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience will be hosting its second Research Day. This will be a chance to start the new academic year by getting re-acquainted with each other and the diversity of research conducted by CTN core and affiliate faculty. The format will be to have a number of CTN faculty share short overviews of their lab's and projects (16:30-17:30) and then, following a short coffee break (17:30-18:00), hear from a dozen current graduate students and post-docs giving short three minute talks on an aspect of their current research (18:00-19:00).

Bots and Beasts. New book by CTN Founding Member Paul Thagard

Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience

Engineering 7, Sixth floor

Tel 519 888-4567, ext. 42638

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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations .

Welcome to Stanford Neurosciences

The Stanford Neurosciences Interdepartmental Program (IDP) offers interdisciplinary training leading to a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. The primary goal of the program is to train students to become leaders in neuroscience research, education and outreach. Graduates of the program will be innovators, investigators, and teachers whose programs and pursuits are founded on research. The signature feature of the Stanford Neurosciences IDP is the combination of outstanding faculty researchers and exceedingly bright, energetic students in a community that shares a firm and longstanding commitment to understanding the nervous system at all its levels of function.

Program News

Admissions Information Session

Join us virtually to learn more about the Stanford Neurosciences PhD program and the admissions process.

Monday, October 2, 2023

11:00 am - 12:00 pm PST

Registration:  https://stanford.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pD6dbNZZTpyFF8mlFAxNYQ

Thank You, 2022-23 Student Reps and Committee Members!

2022-23 was a busy and engaging year in the program. Thank you to the Student Reps and Committee Members who led the way in bringing the community together!

Krishna Shenoy, engineer who reimagined how the brain makes the body move, dies at 54

Shenoy was a pioneer of neuroprosthetics, a field that paired chips implanted in the brain with algorithms able to decipher the chatter between neurons, allowing people with paralysis to control computers and mechanical limbs with their thoughts. Read more

Virtual Information Session - Monday, October 3, 2022

Virtual Information Session - Monday, October 4, 2021

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Tirin Moore wins 2021 Pradel Research Award

Dr. Shah elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg elected to National Academy of Medicine

Incorporating Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Training for our incoming class

Thomas R. Clandinin elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Kevin Guttenplan recognized by Biosciences Excellence in Teaching Award

Karl Deisseroth wins 2020 Heineken Prize for Medicine 

Daniel Cardozo Pinto wins Gilliam Prize 

President Marc Tessier-Lavigne donates Gruber Neuroscience Prize money to support Neuro grads who are under-represented 

Systems Neuroscience PhD Programme

Why study at SWC?

Our students receive a comprehensive introduction to systems neuroscience, as well as intensive training in experimental techniques, including imaging, physiology, molecular, and behavioural methods in systems neuroscience.

Students in the programme are taught and supervised by SWC faculty together with colleagues at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit  and other affiliated institutions , all experts in their respective fields.  Gatsby and SWC students overlap extensively during the programme, building the foundations for long-lasting collaborations and friendships.

You will live and work in central London , with the highest concentration of neuroscience research in the world.

SWC students are fully funded and receive an annual stipend of £27,400, as well as funds to attend international courses or meetings. We also cover the cost of tuition fees for both home and international students.

The SWC PhD is your opportunity to receive world-class training as a neuroscientist and launch an exciting career in academia or industry.  Apply now to join our pool of exceptional students from around the globe.

Elena Dreosti and Adam Kampff describe The Last Black Box course for PhD students at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre. To find out more about the Cajal Programme visit:  www.cajal-training.org

SWC PhD Programme Overview

The SWC PhD is a four-year programme. Below is a short overview of each year.

The first year is centred around courses - Boot Camp, Systems Neuroscience and Theoretical Neuroscience, Experimental Neuroscience, Neural Data Modelling - and rotations.

All students begin by attending Boot Camp, a three-week course covering the fundamentals of neuroscience and technology – the things we believe everyone should know before they begin their quest to discover new things. The course, developed in partnership with the Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme , is a centred around a fundamental principle: no “black boxes”.

In short, Boot Camp covers everything from electrons to intelligence and empowers students to build an increasingly sophisticated robot, learning about neuroscience principles and technologies (hardware and software) along the way.

Once the first term begins, students in the SWC and Gatsby PhD programmes together attend Systems Neuroscience & Theoretical Neuroscience, an intensive lecture course in which SWC and Gatsby faculty take turns giving lectures from the angle of their area of expertise.

In parallel with this, SWC students learn advanced experimental neuroscience techniques in a hands-on practical course focused on four areas: experimental design, electrophysiology, optics and microscopy, and data analysis. Here, the first-year students will for example implement a 1,000 channel in vivo recording system, build their own two-photon microscope, and develop a closed-loop behaviour assay.

Students design a PhD project and begin their research at the start of year two. Supervisors are selected from among SWC or affiliated faculty.

In this year, students also help as teaching assistants in the courses for the new first-year students.

Third year students write a report and take a viva exam to upgrade from MPhil to PhD. Apart from this, the year is centered on research.

Year four and beyond

The last year, students complete their research and make a detailed plan for the time remaining until graduation. They write and submit their PhD thesis and sit a viva examination.

You can access the theses of previous PhD students through UCL Library Services or UCL Discovery.

Across years

All Centre members are invited to participate in journal clubs and learning groups organised by students, post-docs and researchers.

SWC students have access to all that is offered through UCL and the Doctoral School .

Syllabi for the first year courses Systems Neuroscience and Theoretical Neuroscience, Experimental Neuroscience, and Neural Data Modelling  are below.

Systems Neuroscience and Theoretical Neuroscience

Systems Neuroscience and Theoretical Neuroscience is an intensive lecture course for first-year SWC and Gatsby PhD students, taught by SWC, Gatsby, and affiliated faculty. 

Systems Foundations

• Measuring activity in neurons / Otis, Tom
• Voltage-gated channels / Branco, Tiago
• Biophysics / Latham, Peter
• Dendritic integration / Branco, Tiago
• Synaptic transmission and plasticity / Margrie, Troy

Sensory Systems

• Principles of sensory systems and organisation of cellular circuits / Mrsic-Flogel, Thomas
• Perception as signal processing / Sahani, Maneesh
• Perception as inference / Sahani, Maneesh
• Influence of behaviour and context on sensory processing / Hofer, Sonja

Action Systems

• Basal ganglia / Stephenson-Jones, Marcus
• Open loop control / Latham, Peter
• Cerebellum / Otis, Tom
• Dynamical systems/closed-loop planning / Sahani, Maneesh
• From sensation to action / Hofer, Sonja
• Whole-brain dissection of motor planning / Duan, C. Ann

Cognitive Systems, Decision Making, and Learning

• Deep learning and connectionism / Saxe, Andrew
• Reinforcement learning basics / Stephenson-Jones, Marcus
• Neuromodulation / Stephenson-Jones, Marcus
• Working memory / Akrami, Athena
• Neuroeconomics / Erlich, Jeffrey
• Abstract representation in sensory & memory systems / Burgess, Neil
• Behavioural flexibility / Behrens, Timothy

Social and Affective Systems

• Animal models of multi-player games / Duan, C. Ann
• Neural circuits underlying innate behaviours / Kohl, Jonny
• Limbic system / O’Keefe, John
• Hippocampus / O’Keefe, John
• Sleep and hypothalamus / Harris, Julia

Experimental Neuroscience

Experimental Neuroscience is a hands-on practical course for first-year SWC PhD students, organised and taught by SWC faculty, post-docs, core leads, and more senior students in the centre.

You will learn about:

• Experimental Design and Data Analysis
• Electrophysiology
• Optics and Imaging

Neural Data Analysis

The SWC hosts a large number of events , some open to the larger community and some specific to Centre members. 

Open events

Swc special lectures.

• SWC Annual Symposium

SWC Seminar Series

• SWC Emerging Neuroscientists Seminar Series

Internal events

Speed science, journal club.

• Lunch with Seminar Speakers

Data Analysis for the Rest of Us

The Centre annually invites a high profile speaker to hold a special lecture . Past invitees include Sir David Attenborough, Professor Frans de Waal, and Professor Daniel Dennett.

SWC Annual Student-Sponsored Symposium

At the beginning of each academic year, SWC and Gatsby students organize the SWC Annual Symposium . This consists of an afternoon of talks by invited speakers, followed by an evening dinner .

Each week sees an interesting seminar given by an internationally renowned speaker. Students have the opportunity to have lunch together with invited speakers in conjunction with the seminar.

Emerging Neuroscientists Seminar Series

This seminar series  is an open competition for postdocs around the world to apply to present their work at the SWC. The aim of the series is to give exceptional early career neuroscientists an opportunity to visit London, present as part of the regular SWC seminar series and discuss their science with SWC faculty, postdocs and students. 

In this summer networking event, students or postdocs from each group in the building give a brief presentation on the work of their lab. Each presentation is followed by a Q&A and then further discussion over a barbeque on our rooftop terrace.

Data Club takes place bi-weekly at lunch time and involves a member of one of our labs presenting experimental results and questions from an ongoing project.

Students at the Centre meet regularly to discuss important scientific papers.

Taking place each Friday afternoon, the content of Tea Hour is varied and ranges from broad research talks to game nights and quizzes. Students determine the topic for at least every second Tea Hour.

PyClub and PyStarters

Initiated by post-docs and students, these learning forums are aimed at learning and sharing best practices in Python Programming between Centre members. PyClub caters to more experienced programmers and PyStarters to beginners.

Like PyClub and PyStarters, the initiative for this learning group came from post-docs and students who wanted to deepen their proficiency in data analysis methods relevant to modern neuroscience. And like the former, it is also open to anyone in the building with a commitment to learn.

Meet some of our students

Meet Shanice, a PhD student in the Isogai lab at SWC. Thanks to her previous lab experience at University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and University of Reading, she had few surprises when embarking on her PhD at SWC. Now in her second year, Shanice shares her experience so far and one thing that did surprise her:

“One thing that did surprise me about my PhD at SWC though was just how interdisciplinary it is! I didn’t realise this would stretch to things like electronics and 3D printing. In our optics course, we built a two-photon microscope and for our PhD Boot Camp we even built a robot! I never thought I would get to do these things in a biological PhD.”

Read Shanice’s full story here: Embarking on a PhD in systems neuroscience  

Meet Steve, the first ever SWC student to be awarded their PhD. He shares some of the highlights during his time as a PhD student in the Margrie Lab, some of the hardest parts and also his top tips.

“One of the nice things about finishing my PhD is that I can now devote some time to thinking about what I want to do next. I didn’t spend much of my time during my PhD thinking about next steps. The SWC is a great environment – I don’t have a strong incentive to leave just yet!”

Read Steve’s story here: What is a neuroscience PhD really like?  

Meet Nicole, a PhD student in the Hofer lab at SWC.  She shares her journey in science so far and her advice to those interested in pursuing a PhD in neuroscience, including what being a PhD Student involves day-to-day and some top tips for applying.

“I am a first-generation student as no one in my family ever went to university. I remember when I first started my undergraduate degree, I had no idea what it would be like and I didn’t want to ask questions. I didn’t even know what a PhD was! A PhD involves working on one specific project (for around 3-7 years) and conducting the research yourself. You start out with a research question you are interested in and diverge or focus on a specific topic based on your findings. On top of that, you plan your experiments yourself, with help from your PI and postdocs in your lab.”

Read Nicole’s journey here: Pursuing a PhD in neuroscience

Read about our alumni

Check out our  Alumni page  to see SWC students that have been awarded their PhDs and their graduate destinations.

Meet Alex Fratzl, formerly a PhD student in the Hofer Lab at SWC, and now a Postdoctoral research fellow in the Roska Lab at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology (IOB) in the beautiful city of Basel. He shares how his PhD helped equip him for a career in neuroscience research:

“Given my goal of opening my own independent research lab in the future, the experiences during my PhD helped me to develop scientific, intellectual, and transversal skills needed for succeeding in an academic career.”

Read Alex’s full story here: From a systems neuroscience PhD to a postdoc in visual research

Meet Matthew Phillips, formerly a PhD student in the Branco Lab at SWC, and now Co-founder and CEO at Learney, a start-up building learning software for companies that need help upskilling their employees in new technologies such as data science, machine learning and AI. He shares how his PhD helped him decide to co-found a start-up:

“My PhD helped a lot with this decision because it helped me realised I enjoy working on long-term projects that I have control and ownership over. I really like the feeling that when you get a result in the lab, or build some new software or gain a new customer, it’s your work that has gone into that and my PhD helped me realise that was appealing to me.

Read Matthew’s full story here: From a neuroscience PhD to building software for learning

Support during your PhD

Doing a PhD is both exciting and challenging. To help students navigate through it all, the structure of the programme is designed to provide several sources of support, both informal and formal.

Fellow students form an inner circle for support and advice. The structure of the first year encourages students to make close connections with in-year peers from both the GCNU and the SWC programme. Together with GCNU students, SWC students have formed a PhD Student Association , which organises regular social events and meetings.

The first year, through courses and events, also brings students into contact with a large majority of the Centre community. In addition to introducing students to the research going on in all the groups, this makes students feel at home and helps them start to build a network.

More formal sources of support include the PhD Programme Committee, the PhD Programme Coordinator, and our Human Resources staff. In the first year, students are encouraged to consult any of these support networks for questions related to career, academics, or pastoral care.

At the beginning of the second year, students assemble a thesis committee, which in addition to the main supervisor will have at least two more members. The thesis committee becomes an additional avenue for guidance and help.

For students wishing to discuss with someone outside of the institute, the UCL Doctoral School has a range of resources that can provide advice in many areas, from academic progress to mental health and wellbeing. To explore these services, this page is a good starting point.

Neuroscience Nearby

• UCL Neuroscience Domain
• Imperial College
• Francis Crick Institute
• King’s College

• British Neuroscience Association
• Cambridge Neuroscience
• Oxford Neuroscience

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Theoretical Neuroscience & Artificial Intelligence

• 01865 809444
• [email protected]
• https://www.oftnai.org

Is a multidisciplinary forum for Theoretical Neuroscience in Oxford

As a team of about 10 Computational Mathematicians

Engaged in several Collaborative Partnerships

Dr. Simon Stringer

The   Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is headed by Dr Simon Stringer. The group is based within the Oxford University's Department of Experimental Psychology.

Our group develops computer simulations of the neural and synaptic mechanisms underpinning various areas of brain function, including visual object recognition, spatial processing and navigation, motor function, language and consciousness.

Understanding the brain is one of the great scientific challenges of our time. However, the brain is an exemplar of what mathematicians call a complex system. The behaviour of such a system arises from the interactions between vast numbers of biological components such as neurons and synapses. Fundamental properties of the brain such as perception, intelligence and consciousness emerge from this sea of interacting elements. Therefore, in order to understand the workings of the brain, computer models are needed to investigate how individual neurons interact in the brain to give rise to the properties that experimental psychologists observe. These kinds of models are known as neural networks . Our group is developing neural network models of a wide range of processes in the brain.

The group houses a large team of theoreticians, who are developing neural network computer models of various aspects of brain function and machine intelligence. Research areas include:

• Visual object recognition and processing of natural scenes;
• Visually guided reaching;
• Spatial cognition and navigation;
• Memory and emotion;
• Motor function and reinforcement learning;
• Natural language acquisition;
• Machine consciousness.

Much of our research is carried out by embedding neural network models of the brain into computer-generated 3D visual environments. This methodology allows us to explore, for example, how visually driven neurons may develop their known firing properties through sensory interaction with the world.

Simon Stringer

Departmental Lecturer

Juan Manuel Galeazzi González

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Selected publications

Journal article

Tromans JM. et al, (2012), Front Comput Neurosci, 6

Tromans JM. et al, (2012), Network, 23, 1 - 23

Evans BD. and Stringer SM., (2012), Front Comput Neurosci, 6

Higgins IV. and Stringer SM., (2011), Vision Res, 51, 553 - 562

Key Collaborators

The Oxford Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence is engaged in several collaborative partnerships........

• Professor Kate Jeffery, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London.
• Professor Jan Schnupp, Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, Oxford University.
• Professor Stephen Roberts, Department of Engineering Science, Oxford University
• Dr Mark Buckley, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University
• Dr Hannah Smithson, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University
• Dr Robin Murphy, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University

Research Vacancies

Prospective graduate students who are interested in applying to join the Centre may contact Dr Simon Stringer by email at [email protected] .

Raising Funding for Our Research

Our laboratory is supported by the O xford Foundation for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence ( www.oftnai.org).

Related research themes

International School of Advanced Studies

University of camerino, phd in theoretical and applied neuroscience.

Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience

Preclinical Clinical and Translational Neuroscience

Computational and System Neuroscience

Neuroscience and Humanities

An innovative way to  tackle the complexity of neuroscience studies

The National PhD program  in "Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience" aims to provide doctoral students with the scientific methodologies necessary for the integrated study of neuroscience in areas ranging from molecular and cellular neurobiology, to computational neuroscience, cognitive, preclinical, clinical, diagnostic, rehabilitative neurorobotics  up to the  investigation of  the mind-body-brain relationship.

To establish a network of prestigious  Italian Universities and Research Institutions to support   multidisciplinary study programs in neuroscience and to form new generations of researchers in  highly competitive international research environment

Doctoral candidates interested to gain competences in the broad field of neuroscience and motivated to  conduct their research in a highly stimulating inter- and multi-disciplinary environment.

For more info please contact  [email protected]

Headbook/Vademecum for UNICAM PhD students

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The field of neuroscience deals with the biology, anatomy, physiology and chemistry of the brain and its relationship to the functions of the human body. Neuroscientists study all aspects of the brain and its functions, and perform research to discover new information about the brain and its systems, including treatment of brain diseases.

Some neuroscientists are medical doctors who work in the field of patient research and treatment, while others are traditional research scientists who only work with patients in an auxiliary capacity, and spend their time focusing on laboratory experiments and data.

A neuroscience PhD does not provide a medical degree; those who wish to work as neurosurgeons or pathologists also pursue a separate medical degree. Neuroscientists with a PhD normally limit themselves to theoretical work, although they may participate in treatments and operations for research purposes.

What Do You Need?

A degree in neuroscience requires students to be proficient in sciences, especially life sciences. Neuroscientists must study all aspects of the body to see how physical systems interact with the brain, and must have a good foundational understanding of medicine and how treatments affect the neurosystems of the body.

A candidate for a neuroscience degree will also need good skills in math, and should possess good critical thinking skills. Neuroscientists will also need a certain amount of interpersonal skills if they are to work with subjects or patients.

Neuroscience is divided into several subcategories depending on which aspect of this science a student is pursuing. Most programs require students to be proficient in more than one area, although specialization at the PhD level is common. Neuroscience generally focuses on the structure and function of the brain itself, such as in the fields of biochemistry and anatomy; the applied sciences related to the treatment of the brain, such as pharmacology and medical imaging; and the theoretical research about the function of the brain in humans, such as learning and memory.

Neuroscience PhD Programs

There are over 340 schools in the United States which offer some form of neuroscience PhD programs, whether online, offline, or hybrid. Not all schools offer specializations in all fields, and some fields require very specialized training and equipment. Prospective students should research the specific programs available at the school of their choice to ensure that the school offers the sub-area in which they are interested.

This type of graduate program is heavily reliant on laboratory work; therefore, most programs will be limited in the amount of online classes offered, although traditional classes may supplement curriculum by online study and demonstration.

Below are a few representative schools which offer both online and offline versions of the neuroscience PhD.

University of Greenwich

The University of Greenwich offers a PhD in Consciousness Studies, a field related to neuroscience. This program can be completed completely online, and is useful in the fields of nursing, chiropractic, and social work. Practitioners of alternative medicine disciplines may also wish to expand their knowledge by pursuing this field. Many research opportunities are available all over the world with holistic medical practices.

University of Greenwich, Taylors Road, Norfolk Island, South Pacific, 2899. www.cms.gre.ac.uk .

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt offers an Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) in the biological sciences leading to a PhD in neuroscience. The Vanderbilt Brain Institute is a state-of-the-art facility offering extensive research opportunities for students, and is a leading facility for research of the brain.

Vanderbilt offers two tracks for neuroscience graduates: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, and Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience. Most classes will be held on campus in a laboratory setting, although some of the content classes may be available online or through hybrid venues. This research university offers financial aid for potential candidates and is set in a large-city environment with access to several research hospitals.

Vanderbilt University, 702 Light Hall, 1161 21st Avenue SE, Nashville, TN 37232. 615-322-7001. bret.mc.vanderbilt.edu .

University of Virginia

UVA offers degrees in several biomedical fields, including neuroscience. Research specialties include Behavior Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience, Developmental Neuroscience, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, and Neurophysiology.

While the first two semestersí classes may be offered in online or hybrid formats, the remaining classes will likely be hands-on laboratory research classes. Financial aid must be arranged through outside agencies. The setting for the college is a smaller town, but research opportunities at major hospitals are located a short distance away in both the Washington Metro and Baltimore areas and other cities in Virginia.

University of Virginia, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Programs, P.O. Box 800738, Charlottesville, VA 22908. 434-924-2181. www.medicine.virginia.edu .

Texas A&M University

The graduate program at Texas A&M offers PhD degrees in Biochemistry & Structural Biology (BSB), Systems & Integrative Biology (CIB), Cell & Molecular Biology (CMB), Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis (MMP), Neurosciences (NS), and Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (PET). Students in these programs can also choose an interdisciplinary research project jointly with students in other areas.

While online classes are not common, some curriculum may be offered in at least a hybrid format. Financial aid must be obtained through outside sources, but the small campus and intimate setting provide a great deal of one-on-one training and mentoring during the program. Research opportunities abound outside of College Station at major Texas research hospitals.

Texas A&M University Science Health Center, College of Medicine, Medical Science Interdisciplinary Program, 110 Reynolds Medical Building, College Station, TX 77843. 979-845-0370. medicine.tamhsc.edu .

University of Alabama at Birmingham

For students wishing to focus on the function of vision in neuroscience, the University of Alabama offers a specific PhD in vision-related fields of neuroscience through their School of Optometry. This program uses interdisciplinary research to focus on applied and theoretical research related to vision. Financial aid is offered, and opportunities for practical, hands-on research are numerous.

University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB School of Optometry, 1530 3rd Avenue SO, WORB 601A, 924 South 18th Street, Birmingham, AL 35294. 205-934-8227. www.uab.edu .

Wake Forest University

Wake Forest offers joint degrees of PhD/MBA in the field of neuroscience. The program is structured around applied research and offers research opportunities in several related biology and neuroscience fields. Located in the ìresearch triangleî of North Carolina, research laboratories are numerous and students can craft a program which meets their specific research needs. Financial aid is not available through the school but research grants and other monies may be secured through outside sources.

Wake Forest University, Biomedical Science, Bowman Gray Campus, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157. 336-716-9437. graduate.wfu.edu .

Washington State University

Washington State University offers a campus-based program leading to a PhD in Neuroscience in the field of veterinary medicine. A heavily research-based program, the PhD degree typically takes from four to five years to complete. Few online classes are offered. Financial aid packages are available, and the small-town setting and small classes offer more personal attention than larger universities. Research opportunities are available at regional animal hospitals and medical centers, as well as through government veterinary agencies.

Washington State University, P.O. Box 646520, 110 McCoy Hall, Pullman, WA 99164-6520. 509-335-7675. www.vetmed.wsu.edu .

Cornell University

Cornell offers a PhD in neuropharmacology, the science of using drugs to treat brain disorders and improve brain functions. Located in New York City, this research university offers many opportunities for practical application and research at area hospitals and research facilities. Financial aid is not available through the school, although private scholarships and funds may be available.

Cornell University. 1300 York Avenue, Box 70, New York, NY 10065. 212-746-6250. www.cornell.edu .

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech offers a PhD degree in Applied Physiology, which focuses on motor functions and treatment of motor diseases. This program is campus-based and offers opportunities for cooperation with other disciplinary areas.

Financial aid is not offered through the school for this program, although research grants and other forms of financial assistance can be applied for through outside agencies. Located in downtown Atlanta, research opportunities for this program abound at area research facilities, hospitals, and joint efforts with other schools.

Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Applied Physiology. 281 Ferst Drive, Weber 113, Atlanta, GA 30332-0356. 404-894-1029. www.ap.gatech.edu .

Loyola University Chicago

Loyola offers a PhD in Neurobiology, the study of the structure and function of the brain. This campus-based program also includes study in Cell Biology and Anatomy. The degree is geared toward a career in research of neuroscience topics in pure science, although some applied topics may also be available.

Financial aid is not available through the school, but the small setting allows research candidates to receive personal attention for their topics. Research opportunities are available at regional hospitals.

Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153. 708-216-3603. www.stritch.luc.edu .

Northwestern University

Northwesternís Interdisciplinary Biological Science department, IBiS, covers over 70 areas of biological science, allowing students to choose from a multitude of possible theoretical and applied research topics. Classes are campus-based and lead to a PhD in neuroscience with concentrations in specific fields chosen by candidates based on research preferences. With an average price per year of $50,000, IBiS provides $27,000 per year in stipends, health insurance through the University, and tuition remission. Other financial aid is available from various sources.

Northwestern University. 2-100 Hogan Hall, 2153 North Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208-3500. 847-467-0451. www.ibis.northwestern.edu .

Roehampton University

Roehampton offers a course in Clinical Neuroscience with focus on recent medical advances in this field. Students may choose theoretical or applied programs with research in functions of neuroscience. Financial aid is available from various sources for both British and international students. Research opportunities with London hospitals are also available.

Roehampton University, Downshire House, Roehampton Lane, London, England, SW15 4HT. 011+44-20-8392-3192. www.roehampton.ac.uk .

Job Outlook for Neuroscience PhDs

According to www.bls.gov , the outlook for jobs in all medical science fields remains strong. Medical scientists with dual degrees in science and medicine, such as a PhD in neuroscience and an MD, will experience the most opportunity for job growth, although all medical science jobs are expected to grow at a much faster than average rate in the next ten years as healthcare needs continue to increase.

As the federal government has experienced an increase in healthcare funding, more research grants are being made available, providing more jobs for these scientists. Students with both medical and theoretical degrees have a competitive edge in securing funding from both public and private grants, and have greater opportunities to work in a hands-on environment to conduct research. Medical scientists of all types are less likely to lose their jobs during recessionary times than other fields.

Top Ranked Doctoral Programs

Search for other great programs, 9 responses to “neuroscience programs”.

Hello. Your listing regarding a Drexel University Online PhD program in neuroscience is incorrect. Please note that Drexel University Online does not offer a PhD in this specialty. Julia Hardy Richardson Marketing Manager Drexel University Online

I am looking for an online school that offers a neuroscience bachelors degree. Either that or a bachelors in Psychology with an emphasis in neuroscience. Something like that. Please help!

Although educational offerings are growing, it may be difficult to find a bachelor level degree in neuroscience. It is not really until the graduate level that begin to specialize like that. Your best bet is either psychology with biological electives or vice versa.

i have done M.Sc. in zoology (3 years bachelor +2 years masters) can i apply for phd. program in neuroscience.can i obtain a scholarship for the same :i am not financially sound are there any means i can do phd. with a job ? what is actually neuroscience.

can anyone after reading neuroscience practice medicine. can anyone after doing 4 years bachelors in pharmacy; medical lab technology(BMLT) ;BPH(public health) ;speech pathology(BASLP) apply for phd. in neuroscience. After phd. in neuroscience what can we become ? a medical doctor or a professor. can anyone with a bachelor in science(bsc) apply for phd. in neuroscience.

Can anyone tell me if the U of Greenwich is legitimate? I have tried to look for the website and such on the net and have not found anything that offers credibility to the university. The program on consciousness sounds so interesting…but. thanks.

I am looking for an online PhD in a field related to neuroscience. I contacted the University of Greenwich UK to ask about the PhD in consciousness studies and they said that they do not offer any such degree. Any help please?

I am looking for an online university that offers neuroscience PHD degree.

I am looking for an online university that offers PHD in computational neuroscience. any help?

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Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit

Taught courses in the first year of the Gatsby PhD programme.

SWC Ground Floor Lecture Theatre  

Systems and Theoretical Neuroscience (taught with SWC, see here for syllabus ) Probabilistic and Unsupervised Learning (COMP0086) & Approximate Inference and Learning in Probabilistic Models (COMP0085) Advanced Topics in Machine Learning (COMP0083, taught with CSML)

Second Term

Swc ground floor lecture theatre (for tn)  .

Theoretical Neuroscience Reinforcement Learning  (taught by CS)

Course materials from current and previous years

Our courses are run primarily for students at the Gatsby Unit. Nevertheless, students, postdocs and faculty members from other UCL departments are welcome to attend on an informal basis. If you would like to attend Systems and Theoretical Neuroscience , please contact SWC PhD Programme Coordinator  Klara Olofsdotter Otis  k.otis 'at' ucl.ac.uk. For Theoretical Neuroscience , please email I-Chun Lin i.lin 'at' ucl.ac.uk.

If you would like to audit or enrol formally in COMP0086, COMP0085 and COMP0083, please contact [email protected] (UCL Computer Science Teaching and Learning for postgraduate taught programmes).

Georgetown Neurobiology Major Blends Science and Art to Explore Mental Health

Anna Douglas (C’24) isn’t your typical neuroscience major. An accomplished artist and equestrian, Douglas has spent her time at Georgetown University forging a unique path that explores the complexities of mental health through both scientific and artistic lenses.

A Passion for the Brain Ignited

Douglas’ fascination with the brain began in high school after witnessing the impact of neurological disorders on loved ones. Determined to understand the mechanisms at play, she delved into research articles and textbooks. However, traditional science education left her yearning for more.

“It felt frustrating,” Douglas says. “I wanted to understand how the brain works, but existing explanations felt incomplete.”

An introductory neuroscience course provided the missing piece. It opened the door to a systematic exploration of brain structure and mental health, ultimately leading Douglas to pursue a neurobiology major at Georgetown.

Hands-On Learning in the Lab

Since 2022, Douglas has been actively involved in research at the Ostroumov Lab, investigating the mechanisms of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in rodents. This experience provided valuable hands-on learning, complementing her classroom studies.

“Being in the lab was incredibly rewarding,” says Douglas. “It allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge and witness the practical aspects of neuroscience research.”

Her research focused on Parkinson’s disease, the subject of her senior thesis. Additionally, she collaborated in the Vanmeter/Raven Lab at the Center for Functional MRI, exploring the link between brain iron levels and various psychiatric disorders.

“Anna’s dedication is truly exceptional,” says Alexey Ostroumov, an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology. “Her contributions significantly advanced our Parkinson’s disease research, making her a valuable asset to the lab.”

Asking Poignant Questions in the Classroom

The Georgetown neurobiology department provided a stimulating environment where Douglas could explore her curiosity and ask critical questions. Professor Maguire-Zess’ class on synaptic transmission stands out as a prime example.

“Professor Maguire-Zess encouraged us to think critically,” Douglas says. “One assignment involved a literature review on a chosen topic related to synaptic transmission. My group selected psilocybin and depression, leading to a hypothesis on how it might treat depression and promote neurogenesis.”

This research culminated in presentations and a peer-reviewed publication, receiving recognition through the Provost Undergraduate Research Presentation Award. Douglas even presented the team’s findings at the National Collegiate Research Conference at Harvard University.

Artistic Exploration of the Mind

While delving into the science of mental health, Douglas found artistic expression offered a unique avenue for exploration. Under the guidance of photographer and installation artist Roberto Bocci, she channeled her neurobiology studies into thought-provoking artwork.

“My art explored themes of judgment, perception, and collective memory,” Douglas explains. “It partially reflected on my neurobiology research and the incredible support network I found at Georgetown.”

Her independent study with Bocci allowed her to create a series of portraits honoring those who had impacted her journey. These portraits were then printed on transparent film and used to construct sculptures and installations.

“I wanted to express my deep gratitude for the people who supported me,” Douglas says. “The installations served as a questioning of identity and the factors that shape it.”

A Holistic Education for the Whole Person

Douglas embodies Georgetown’s value of cura personalis, or education for the whole person. Beyond academics, she is an accomplished equestrian, a member of the United States Pony Club, and the recipient of a prestigious “A” rating in 2020.

Her passion for social impact led her to found I Sex Ed, Unfiltered, a free sex education program for high school students. Additionally, she established Hot Hoyas Walk, an athletic club attracting 400 members in its first semester, and volunteered as a counselor with the Crisis Text Line.

A Future Blending Science and Art

Inspired by her Georgetown experience, Douglas looks forward to continuing her exploration of mental health through a combined lens of science and art.

“Georgetown encourages students to forge their own paths,” says Douglas. “This instilled confidence and empowered me to pursue my passions in both art and science. This cross-pollination enriches all forms of inquiry, and I will undoubtedly carry that approach forward in my future endeavors.”

Outstanding scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society

Over 90 exceptional researchers from across the world have this year been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society , the UK’s national academy of sciences.

Recognised for their invaluable contributions to science, the elected Fellows are leaders in their fields. They include the Nobel laureate, Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier; an Emmy winner, Dr Andrew Fitzgibbon (for his contributions to the 3D camera tracker software “boujou”); and the former Chief Medical Advisor to the US President, Professor Anthony Fauci.

Drawn from across academia, industry and wider society, the new intake spans disciplines as varied as pioneering treatments for Huntington’s Disease, developing the first algorithm for video streaming, generating new insights into memory formation, and studying the origins and evolution of our universe.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said:

“I am pleased to welcome such an outstanding group into the Fellowship of the Royal Society.

“This new cohort have already made significant contributions to our understanding of the world around us and continue to push the boundaries of possibility in academic research and industry.

“From visualising the sharp rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution to leading the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, their diverse range of expertise is furthering human understanding and helping to address some of our greatest challenges.

“It is an honour to have them join the Fellowship.”

Statistics about this year’s intake of Fellows:

• 30% of this year’s intake of Fellows, Foreign Members and Honorary Fellows are women
• New Fellows have been elected from 23 UK institutions, including The University of Nottingham, British Antarctic Survey, University of Strathclyde and the Natural History Museum
• They have been elected from countries including Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico and Singapore

The full list of the newly elected Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society is, in alphabetical order:

New Fellows

Professor Simon Aldridge FRS Professor of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford

Professor Sir John Aston Kt FRS Harding Professor of Statistics in Public Life at Statistical Laboratory, Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge

Professor Frances Balkwill OBE FMedSci FRS Professor of Cancer Biology, Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Dr David Bentley OBE FMedSci FRS Former Vice President and Chief Scientist, Illumina Inc

Dr David Bentley FRS Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Co-Director, RNA Bioscience Initiative, Anschutz Medical School, University of Colorado Denver, USA

Professor Donna Blackmond FRS John C. Martin Endowed Chair in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, USA

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore FBA FMedSci FRS Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge

Professor Helen Blau FRS Donald E and Delia B Baxter Foundation Professor and Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA

Professor Martin Blunt FREng FRS Professor of Flow in Porous Media, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London

Professor Daniel Bradley FRS Professor of Population Genetics, Trinity College Dublin

Professor Emmanuel Breuillard FRS Professor of Pure Mathematics, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford

Sir Philip Campbell FRS Editor Emeritus, Nature

Professor Brian Cantor CBE FREng FRS Visiting Professor, Department of Materials, University of Oxford and Professor and Senior Advisor, Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), Brunel University London

Professor Kenneth Carslaw FRS Professor of Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Andrew Carter FRS Programme Leader, Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Professor Patrick Chinnery FMedSci FRS Professor of Neurology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge

Professor Yanick Crow FMedSci FRS Professor and Programme Leader, MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh and Institute Imagine, Université Paris, France

Professor Barry Dickson FRS Professorial Research Fellow, Queensland Brain Institute, Australia

Professor Jo Dunkley OBE FRS Professor of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences, Departments of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, USA

Professor Aled Edwards FRS Temerty Nexus Chair in Health Innovation and Technology, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Canada

Professor Paul Elliott CBE FMedSci FRS Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, Imperial College London

Dr Alan Evans FRS Distinguished James McGill Professor of Neurology, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada

Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald FMedSci FRS Professor of Cancer Prevention and Director, Early Cancer Institute, University of Cambridge

Dr Andrew Fitzgibbon FREng FRS Engineering Fellow, Graphcore Ltd

Professor Michael Garrett FRS Sir Bernard Lovell Chair of Astrophysics and Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA), Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester

Professor Toby Gee FRS Professor, Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London

Professor Nigel Goldenfeld FRS Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, USA

Professor Anjali Goswami FRS Research Leader in Evolutionary Biology, Natural History Museum, London and President of the Linnean Society of London

Professor Maria Harrison FRS William H. Crocker Professor, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and Adjunct Professor, Cornell University, USA

Professor Richard Hartley FRS Emeritus Distinguished Professor, College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics, The Australian National University, Australia

Professor Laura Herz FRS Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Oxford

Professor David Hodell FRS Woodwardian Professor of Geology and Director, Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge and fellow of Clare College

Professor Saskia Hogenhout FRS Group Leader, John Innes Centre

Sir Peter Horby Kt FMedSci FRS Moh Family Foundation Professor of Emerging Infections and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine and Director, Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford

Professor Richard Jardine FREng FRS Professor of Geomechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, Imperial College Proconsul and Visiting Professor, Zhejiang University, China

Professor Heidi Johansen Berg FRS Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford

Mr Simon Knowles FRS CTO and EVP engineering, Graphcore

Professor David Komander FRS Head, Ubiquitin Signalling Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) and Professor, Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Australia

Professor Daniela Kühn FRS Mason Professor of Mathematics, School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham

Professor Eric Lauga FRS Professor of Applied Mathematics, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge

Professor Chwee Lim FRS NUS Society Chair Professor, Institute for Health Innovation & Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore and NUS Society Chair Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore

Professor Duncan Lorimer FRS Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, USA

Professor Douglas MacFarlane FRS Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Australia

Professor Barbara Maher FRS Professor Emerita of Environmental Magnetism, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University

Professor George Malliaras FRS Prince Philip Professor of Technology, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge

Professor Ivan Marusic FRS Pro Vice-Chancellor and Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia

Professor Tamsin Mather FRS Professor of Earth Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford

Professor Stephen McGrath FRS Discovery Leader in Sustainable Soils and Crops, Rothamsted Research

Professor Patricia Monaghan FRS Regius Professor of Zoology, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow

Professor Graham Moore FRS Director, The John Innes Centre

Professor Francis Nimmo FRS Professor of Planetary Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, USA

Professor Sarah Otto FRS Professor, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Canada

Professor Adrian Owen OBE FRS Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Professor Lloyd Peck FRS Science Leader, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge

Professor José Penadés FRS Professor of Microbiology, Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London

Professor Sir Andrew Pollard FMedSci FRS Ashall Professor of Infection and Immunity, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group and Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford

Professor Oscar Randal-Williams FRS Sadleirian Professor of Pure Mathematics, Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge

Professor Keith Ridgway CBE FREng FRS Senior Executive – Manufacturing, University of Strathclyde

Professor Tom Rodden FRS Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Interactive Computing, School of Computer Science, Nottingham University

Professor Stuart Rowan FRS Barry L MacLean Professor of Molecular Engineering, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, USA and Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, USA

Mr Simon Segars FRS Former CEO, Arm Holdings PLC. Board member Dolby Labs Inc, Vodafone Group PLC, Edge Impulse Inc, and Board Chair, Silicon Quantum Computing Pty

Professor Yang Shi FRS Professor of Epigenetics and Member, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oxford

Professor Lorraine Symington FRS Harold S Ginsberg Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, USA

Professor Sarah Tabrizi FMedSci FRS Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neurogenetics, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London

Professor Patrick Unwin FRS Professor of Chemistry and Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick

Professor Mihaela van der Schaar FRS John Humphrey Plummer Professor of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Medicine, Departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Engineering and Medicine, University of Cambridge

Professor Bart Vanhaesebroeck FRS Professor of Cell Signalling, Research Department of Oncology, Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London

Professor Glynn Winskel FRS Professor of Computer and Information Science, University of Strathclyde

Professor William Wisden FMedSci FRS Chair of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London

Professor Xiaodong Zhang FRS Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London and The Francis Crick Institute

New Honorary Fellows

Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah FRS Silver Professor of Philosophy and Law, New York University, USA

Lord Anthony Hughes PC FRS Former Judge, UK Supreme Court

New Foreign Members

Professor Yakir Aharonov ForMemRS Distinguished Professor of Theoretical Physics, Institute for Quantum Studies and Faculty of Physics, Schmid College of Science, Chapman University, USA and Professor Emeritus, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Dr Adriaan Bax ForMemRS NIH Distinguished Investigator and Chief of the Section of Biophysical NMR Spectroscopy, National Institutes of Health, USA

Professor Rene Bernards ForMemRS Professor of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Molecuar Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Netherlands

Professor Emily A. Carter ForMemRS Associate Laboratory Director and Gerhard R Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Princeton University, USA

Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier ForMemRS Scientific and Managing Director, Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Germany

Professor Patrick Cramer ForMemRS President, Max Planck Society and Director, Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Germany

Professor Ingrid Daubechies ForMemRS James B Duke Professor, Department of Mathematics and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, USA

Professor Anthony Fauci ForMemRS Distinguished University Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine, and the McCourt School of Public Policy

Professor Thomas Henzinger ForMemRS Professor, Institute of Science and Technology Austria

Professor Ruth Lehmann ForMemRS Director and President, Whitehead Institute and Professor, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr Susana Magallón ForMemRS Senior Research Scientist and Director, Institute of Biology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico

Professor Michael Mann ForMemRS Presidential Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, and Director, Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media (PCSSM), University of Pennsylvania, USA

Professor Anthony Movshon ForMemRS University Professor, and Silver Professor of Neural Science and Psychology, New York University and Professor of Ophthalmology and of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Investigator, Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, USA

Professor William Nix ForMemRS Professor Emeritus, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, USA

Professor Kyoko Nozaki ForMemRS Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan

Professor Jian-Wei Pan ForMemRS Professor, Department of Modern Physics and Executive Vice President, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), China

Dr Aviv Regev ForMemRS Executive Vice President and Global Head, Genentech Research and Early Development, Genentech/Roche, USA

Professor Ares Rosakis ForMemRS Theodore von Kármán Professor of Aeronautics and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, USA

Professor Paul Schulze-Lefert ForMemRS Director, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Germany

Professor Erin Schuman ForMemRS Director, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Germany

Professor Mark H. Thiemens ForMemRS Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and John Dove Isaacs Endowed Chair in Natural Philosophy for Physical Sciences, University of California San Diego, USA

Professor Cesar Victora ForMemRS Emeritus Professor and Director, International Center for Equity in Healths, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil

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Majors and Minors 2024

Academic Programs

Search Majors & Minors

Latin American and Latina/o Studies

The Latin American and Latina/o Studies minor at Providence College offers you an opportunity to select courses from a range of academic disciplines — global studies, history, political science, sociology, and more — to better understand a dynamic and complex region of the world whose cultural influences extend globally.​

Liberal Arts

The Liberal Arts major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The program combines the structure of a coordinated nucleus of courses as defined by one of the minors in the School of Arts and Sciences, with the breadth and flexibility of a set of elective courses.

Liturgical Music

The major in Liturgical Music at Providence College is inherently a portrayal of interdisciplinarity drawing from both theology and music. With concentrations primarily in voice or keyboards (organ and piano), the major prepares students with a liberal arts degree to serve as church musician and/or continue studies at the graduate level.

Business leaders are increasingly looking for college graduates not only with a background in core management courses but also with a background in the liberal arts. These courses allow our students to fit into a business environment that is more global and diverse than ever before. Leading and motivating people, solving business problems, and working within an environment of innovation and change are challenges for which our management majors are preparing. 

Success in marketing requires quantitative and qualitative skills. Our program is designed to develop both through a broad-based business curriculum. Courses focus on developing analytical, creative, and organizational skills, as well as the ability to communicate clearly, while teaching the practical methods for identifying and responding to consumer demands for products and services.

Mathematics

We offer two majors: a B.A. in Mathematics and a B.A. in Mathematics/Secondary Education. The mathematics/secondary education degree has all the requirements for the mathematics degree, with additional courses in education and a student teaching component. 

Middle East Studies

The minor provides an interdisciplinary approach to questions related to the cultural, political, economic, and religious contexts of Middle Eastern countries, and the region’s diasporic communities. 

The Department of Music at Providence College boasts one of the most comprehensive training programs for singers and instrumentalists at the undergraduate level. There are obvious reasons to study music at PC — to develop as a performer and to understand art at a deeper level are just two that are hardwired into the Department of Music’s mission.

Music Technology and Production

Music Technology and Production is a specialized major where you will learn how to produce professional-quality music, as well as gain hands-on experience using music hardware and software technology, all while acquiring an understanding of the music industry. In combination PC’s well-rounded liberal arts curriculum, MTP graduates will be prepared for viable careers in the evolving music and media industries.

Musical Theatre

This concentration requires course work in music, acting, and dance combined with many performance opportunities.

Neuroscience

As a neuroscience major at PC, students use multiple approaches and perspectives to think critically, creatively, and flexibility about the nature of intelligent life and definitions of the mind and brain. 

Neuroscience Certificate

The program offers a select number of biology and psychology majors the opportunity to delve deeply into discovering more about the brain and nervous system through topical courses, hands-on research opportunities, and engaging internships.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program will provide a rigorous academic curriculum that encompasses theoretical and clinical coursework that leads to evidence-based nursing practice. 

Philosophy is about the big questions — questions about reality, the mind, and language; about knowledge, experience, and science; about freedom, ethics, and responsibility; about governance, law, and society; about race, gender, and sexuality — and many more besides.

The Department of Engineering and Physics offers undergraduate programs designed to prepare individuals for careers in applied science and engineering. 

Political Science

Students who major in political science at Providence College examine politics in a variety of contexts and from a variety of perspectives, both domestic and international. Graduates of the program find that a degree in political science from PC opens doors to a wide range of careers in the public and private sectors. The major also enables our students to become engaged and responsible citizens of their communities.  

Pre-Law Advising

The Pre-Law Advising Program at Providence College provides information and guidance to students who might be interested in attending law school. The program provides individual advising, career counseling, and guidance throughout the application process. 

Our program is designed to provide not only a thorough and sound foundation in the principles of the discipline, but many and varied opportunities to apply that knowledge through independent and collaborative research.

Public Administration

The Public Administration Program is a special certificate program with the purpose of assisting students contemplating a career in government service.

Public and Community Service Studies

The Public and Community Service Studies (PSP) program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum focused on solving real-world problems. PSP students work closely with faculty and community partners to research and address complex issues and then reflect on this shared work to develop the leadership skills necessary for making positive social change. The department’s innovative curriculum, the first of its kind in the country, continues to make it a pioneer and leader in community-engaged, experiential learning. 

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