We are now accepting applications for Summer 2023.
Introduction to Neuroscience: Understanding the Brain
Modality:
Online
Session:
III. August 7–11, 2023
Day & Time:
Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–3:00 p.m. (EST)
Instructor(s):
Dena Goldblatt, Sarah Leinwand
“I not only learned a lot about neuroscience and want to continue studying it, but also feel like the course was a great opportunity to work with people from all over the world and combine all of our ideas and opinions. ” – Anna E. | White Plains, New York
Course Description
This course is designed for students interested in the science of the brain, including its evolutionary origins, early development, and role in generating behavior. We explore theories of the brain as the seat of the self from ancient Greece to modern times, and investigate systems that make up the brain from the individual neuron to the entire central nervous system. We also look into how sensation, perception, and decision making work at the physiological level. The course blends historical trends in neuroscience with modern experiments and findings, and touches on major areas of research including animal studies, recording and imaging techniques, computational neuroscience, and neuropharmacology.
In-class small-group exercises, in addition to lectures, allow students to tangibly explore the ideas presented in class. Participants construct various models of the brain, critique professional neuroscientific papers as “peer-reviewers,” and visualize actual neural data with instructor guidance.
Registration Guidance & Call Number(s)
Please note, this course may have multiple classes being offered in a particular session. Students should only register for one class and with one call number.
To view detailed information on a particular offering, click on the call number to be directed to the Directory of Classes catalogue.
NURO0101 (D07) | Call Number: 10536
NURO0101 (D08) | Call Number: 10537
Further guidance on the registration process can be found here.
Instructor(s)
Dena Goldblatt
Dena Goldblatt is a 6th year Neuroscience PhD Candidate at New York University. Her doctoral work investigates the molecular mechanisms that organize and assemble vertebrate neural circuits, using a larval zebrafish vestibular reflex circuit as a model. Dena completed her undergraduate work at Brandeis University, where she earned a triple B.S in Neuroscience, Biology, and Psychology, a minor in History, and accelerated M.S. in Neuroscience. Dena has ten years of experience in mentoring, teaching, and other outreach at the high school and undergraduate levels. She has been a Neuroscience instructor for the Columbia Pre-College Program since 2019.
Sarah Leinwand
Dr. Sarah Leinwand obtained her B.A. in the Biological Basis of Behavior at the University of Pennsylvania and her Ph.D. in Neurosciences at the University of California San Diego. Sarah was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Berkeley in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. Her research has investigated brain development and the neural basis of behavior. She has published and received multiple grants for her work examining how circuits in the brain control smell and taste-guided behaviors and the maturation of brain activity and learning abilities with age. She has taught Exploring the Brain: Introduction to Neuroscience at Berkeley, several introductory neuroscience courses for advanced high school students, and mentored high school, community college, and undergraduate students in the laboratory. Sarah is passionate about STEM education and looks forward to training the next generation of scientists, doctors and citizens.
Specific course details such as topics, activities, hours, and instructors are subject to change at the discretion of the University. Not all instructors listed for a course teach all sections of that course.