Undergraduate Neuroscience Education at Cornell University Carl D. Hopkins Department of Neurobiology & Behavior Neuroscience Departments and Programs Spring Conference 2011 March 25, 2011 Washington, D.C.

Weill Cornell Medical NYC College of Veterinary Medicine College of Agriculture and Life Sciences College of Arts and Sciences College of Human Ecology Neuroscience at Cornell College of Engineering NBB  Program in Neuroscience BioMedical Engineering Molecular Physiology Neurobiology & Behavior Psychology Human Development Molecular Medicine Physiology Mathematics Electrical & Computer Eng. Engineering Physics Pharmacology Theoretical & Applied Mechanics Nutritional Sciences WMC Qatar

Undergraduate Programs in the Neurosciences Biology Major ( Neurobiology and Behavior Concentration ): One of 13 Programs of Study within the major. Psychology Major

Students generally register for a program of study by the end of their freshman year. includes sophomores, juniors, seniors

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study The NBB Program of Study Requirements (in addition to the core biology major) 1) Two Introductory NBB courses (8 credits total) BioNB 2210 Introduction to Behavior BioNB 2220 Introduction to Neuroscience 2) 7 additional credits As least one 3000 or 4000 level course for 3 or 4 credits, plus one or more NBB courses (“special topics” (4200) OR “research” (4990) are OK)

semester course 3 credits lecture only 4 credits with 75 min discussion 5 credits (writing intensive) students Team taught (6-8 lecturers) Fetcho, Harris-Warrick, Bass, Linster, Johnson, Hoy, Hopkins, Booker

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format Lecture Notes with leaning objectives, study questions, figures, links Video recall with faculty Animation of dynamic processes

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format Lecture Notes with leaning objectives, study questions, figures Video recall with faculty Animation of dynamic processes Team Teaching Fall planning, Spring review Joint exam writing and grading Exam results, analysis, and comments

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (all students) Test Bank and Weekly Quizzes Study groups

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (all students) Test Bank and Weekly Quizzes Study groups Computational Exercises

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (Discussion Sections) Brain Lab Drosophila Behavior Lab Stereovision Lab Journal Club Problem Sets

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study Some advanced NBB courses: Drugs and the Brain BioNB 3920 (Harris-Warrick) Darwinian Medicine BioNB 4270 (Sherman) Principles of Neurophysiology BioNB 4910 (Johnson) Hormones and Behavior BioNB 3220 (Adkins-Regan) Animal Communication BioNB 4260 (Bradbury/Vehrencamp) Computational Neuroscience BioNB 3300 (Linster) Introduction to Sensory Systems BIONB 3960 (Halpern) Neuroethology BioNB 4240 (Hopkins) Experimental Molecular Neurobiology BioNB 4300 (Deitcher)

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study Special Topics Courses 4200 courses 1, 2 credits one time only courses Reviewing an important book, current topic, therapy, technique, Examples (2011) BioNB 4200 – The Neurobiology and Behavior of Music (Hoy, Wyttenbach) BioNB Dis 203 Hopkins Neurobiology & Behavior Jounal Club for UndergraduatesNeurobiology & Behavior Jounal Club for Undergraduates BioNB 4200, Dis 201 / BioNB 7200, Dis 201 – The Quest for Agelessness: Molecular Biology of Aging (Halpern)

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES BioNB 299 Introduction to Research BioNB 499 Research in Neurobiology and Behavior Over half of the NBB concentrators (c. 70+ per year) do at least one semester of BioNB499. Summer research (before junior or senior year) Honors program NSF REU program More than 20 years of HHMI support for summer research

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study STUDENTS: Average number of NBB graduates per year: 90 Average number of students enrolled in BioNB 2990 per semester (Intro to Research Methods in Biology): 16.5 Average number of students enrolled in BioNB 4990 per semester (Independent Undergraduate Research in Biology): 42 Average number of students who complete honors theses per year: 15