Applicants with a theoretical/quantitative background particularly welcome!
Deadline: January 1
Theory and computation are essential in trying to understand the human brain. Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) has a core group of faculty who incorporate theoretical and computational methods in studies of perception and cognition in health and psychiatric disease. Our Graduate Program in Neuroscience offers students with a strong quantitative and analytical background the opportunity to apply their skills to challenging problems in brain research, while receiving world-class training across the breadth of neuroscience.
Engineering, computer science, physics, and mathematics are not traditionally associated with investigating perception and cognition. Yet students from these and related disciplines often possess the skills and mindset necessary to help build theoretical frameworks for experimental data. In our Department of Neuroscience, this can take on many forms, such as advanced analysis of neuroimaging data, computational studies using animal models of sensation and cognition, studying the functional architecture of cortical circuits and how information is processed across populations of neurons, investigating the neural mechanisms of time perception, modeling anomalies of reward processing in psychiatric patients, studying the dynamics of decision-making in groups, or developing Bayesian theories of human perception.
The computationally oriented neuroscience laboratories at BCM (Chiu, Eagleman, Gabbiani, King-Casas, LaConte, Ma, Montague, Saggau, Tolias) also conduct human behavioral, neuroimaging or neurophysiological studies, thereby allowing for a direct interplay between theory and experiment. This is aided by state-of-the-art imaging and computing facilities, as well as active collaborations with other neurophysiological laboratories and clinical divisions. Students will acquire the tools and training that will position them for groundbreaking interdisciplinary research after the completion of their program, as well as for many other possible career paths.
The graduate program leading to a Ph.D. in neuroscience is designed as a five-year program. In the first year, students complete basic courses that provide them with a strong background in all facets of neuroscience. Concurrently, they familiarize themselves with ongoing research through rotations in the laboratories of Neuroscience faculty of their choice. At the end of the first year, students choose an advisor, enter into the lab full-time, and develop suitable thesis research projects. At this stage, several electives devoted to advanced theoretical and computational topics are available.
There is no application fee and our program offers free tuition and a very competitive stipend. Houston is a very attractive city for living.
The deadline for submitting your application is January 1, however, our program may begin considering applications in December, so an early application is suggested.
For more information:
- Neuroscience Graduate Program or contact Dr. Mariella DeBiasi, Director of Graduate Studies
- Computational Psychiatry Unit
- Gulf Coast Consortium for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience.