REU Site: Summer Research Experiences in Interdisciplinary Mind & Brain Studies

该项目由SBE理事会的本科生研究经验(REU)站点计划资助，并由国防部与NSF REU计划合作提供支持。它兼具科学和社会效益，集研究和教育于一体。这个REU网站专注于宾夕法尼亚大学(Penn)的跨学科精神和大脑研究，由宾夕法尼亚大学的精神综合研究中心MindCORE运营。该计划为学生提供为期十周的暑期研究体验，将在现有研究实验室进行研究项目的机会与入门研讨会结合起来，并以一系列学生项目演示结束。学生的研究将集中在人类思维如何工作的各个方面，整合了从神经生物学到心理学和语言学，再到哲学和计算机科学等多学科方法的见解。该计划的主要目标是为不同的学生--来自理科和非研究型大学中代表性较低的群体--提供深入和实践研究的体验。这一点，再加上为学生提供更广泛的领域知识、重要的技术和专业技能，以及与处于研究前沿的认知科学教员和实验室的联系，将使他们为未来的研究生学习做好准备，成为这一重要领域研究社区的正式成员，并有助于提高对人类行为的理解。这个REU网站旨在通过为科学领域中代表性不足的学生提供综合研究、学习和指导机会，为心智和脑研究领域迈向一个更加多样化和公平的未来。它旨在向学生介绍一种广泛的跨学科视角，使他们将自己视为理解人类智力和行为本质的更大努力的积极贡献者。在实验室实习期间，学生们在宾夕法尼亚州立大学MindCORE精选教师池中的一名教师导师的支持下探索自己的研究问题，他们的工作涉及感知、学习、决策、沟通和社会行为等主题。通过参与，学生有机会在协作和支持的环境中探索认知科学中的跨学科联系和观点。课程设计将根据包容性教学的原则进行，学生将在先行导师的指导下参加主题研讨会、专业发展会议、技术研讨会、实验室之旅和期刊俱乐部会议。通过在关键研究领域与MindCORE导师就特定问题进行深入研究，以及通过持续的指导、支持以及专业发展和研究技能培训进行广泛的支撑，该计划旨在确保学生拥有积极的研究和学习体验，从而提高他们继续研究事业和竞争研究生项目的兴趣和能力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the SBE Directorate and is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. It has both scientific and societal benefits, and integrates research and education. This REU site focuses on Interdisciplinary Mind and Brain Studies at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), and is run by MindCORE, Penn’s hub for the integrative study of the mind. The program provides a ten-week summer research experience for students that combines the opportunity to work on a research project in an established research lab with an introductory workshop, and closes with a series of student project presentations. Student research will focus on various aspects of how the human mind works, integrating insights from multiple disciplinary approaches, from neurobiology to psychology and linguistics, to philosophy and computer science. The primary objective of the program is to provide a diverse set of students--from underrepresented groups in science and non-research colleges--an experience of in-depth and hands-on research. This, together with providing students with broader knowledge of the field, important technical and professional skills, and connections to cognitive science faculty and labs at the forefront of research, will prepare them for pursuing future graduate studies to become full-fledged members of the research community in this important area, and help progress the understanding of human behavior.This REU site aims to work towards a more diverse and equitable future for the field of mind and brain studies, by providing an integrated research, learning, and mentoring opportunity for students from underrepresented backgrounds in the sciences. It aims to introduce students to a broad and interdisciplinary perspective in a way that leads them to see themselves as active contributors to a larger endeavor to understand the nature of human intelligence and behavior. During the lab internship, students explore their own research question, supported by a faculty mentor from a pool of select Penn MindCORE faculty whose work relates to topics in perception, learning, decision-making, communication and social behavior. By participating, students have the opportunity to explore interdisciplinary connections and perspectives in cognitive science in a collaborative and supportive environment. Programming will be designed according to principles of Inclusive Teaching, with students participating in themed seminars, professional development sessions, technical workshops, lab tours, and journal club meetings with a step-ahead mentor. By conducting in-depth research on a specific question with a MindCORE mentor in a key research area, along with extensive scaffolding through ongoing mentorship, support, and professional development and research skills training, the program aims to ensure that students have a positive research and learning experience that increases both their interest and ability in continuing in research careers and competing for admission to graduate programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.