Integrative Training Progran in Vision

描述(由申请者提供)：该项目的目标是支持麻省理工学院视觉领域的研究生培训。申请在第一年资助四名博士前学生，在接下来的四年里每年增加一名。脑与认知科学系(BCS)在视觉科学方面有非常广泛的研究和教学，特别是视觉发育、神经生理学、心理物理学和计算模型方面的专业知识。该计划将与生物系和电气工程与计算机科学系的参与者一起，为学生提供在视觉领域探索广泛主题的绝佳机会。在研究生课程的第一年，所有BCS学生都要选修三门核心课程中的两门：秋季选修系统神经科学，春季选修认知科学或细胞与分子神经生物学。在第一年，学生们也开始研究，要么立即开始，要么在实验室里旋转一到三次。在整个教育过程中，研究生应该至少有一半的时间进行研究，同时参加课程或教学，或者在暑期和完成课程作业后全职进行研究。担任助教需要三个学期，通常在二、三、四年级各一个学期。咨询委员会是在第一年内选出的，尽管主要导师通常与学生有最大的联系。笔试和口试在第二年之后进行，第三年需要一份研究报告。BCS研究生课程由研究生委员会和研究生办公室协调，研究生委员会由系内每个领域的代表组成，研究生处负责执行委员会的决定并管理研究生课程。这一培训计划的目的是培养新一代视觉研究人员，他们在自己的专业领域接受过高度培训，但也接受过广泛的教育，了解将视觉社区联系在一起的科学基础。相关性：视觉科学家试图了解眼睛和大脑是如何工作的，也试图了解视觉障碍和疾病中的问题所在。今天的视觉科学家必须接受多学科的培训，包括生物学、心理学、神经科学和计算机科学。麻省理工学院的培训计划旨在为学生提供在该领域取得进步所需的科学广度和深度。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this program is to support graduate training in the field of vision at MIT. Funding for four predoctoral students in the first year is requested, with an increase of one per year for the next four years. The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) has a very broad range of research and teaching in the vision sciences, with particular expertise in visual development, neurophysiology, psychophysics, and computational models. In conjunction with participants from the Department of Biology and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the program will provide excellent opportunities for students to explore a wide range of topics in vision. In the first year of the graduate program, all BCS students take two of three core courses: Systems Neuroscience in the fall, and either Cognitive Science or Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology in the spring. During the first year, students also begin research, either immediately or after one to three rotations in laboratories. Throughout the course of their education, graduate students are expected to conduct research at least half-time, while taking courses or teaching, or full-time during summers and after coursework is complete. Acting as teaching assistants is required for three terms, usually one term each in the second, third, and fourth years. An advisory committee is chosen within the first year, although the primary advisor usually has the greatest contact with the student. Written and oral qualifying exams take place after the second year, and a research report is required during the third year. The BCS graduate program is coordinated by a Graduate Committee comprised of representatives from each area of the department, and a Graduate Office which implements the Committee's decisions and administers the graduate program. The purpose of this training program is to produce a new generation of vision researchers who are highly trained in their own field of expertise, but who are also broadly educated about the scientific foundations that link the vision community together. Relevance: Vision scientists seek to understand how the eye and brain work, and also seek to understand what goes wrong in visual disorders and diseases. Today's vision scientists must be trained in multiple disciplines, including biology, psychology, neuroscience, and computer science. MIT's training program is designed to give students the scientific breadth and depth that they need to make advances in the field.