1. Careers in Neuroscience Frank Johnson, Ph.D. Director, Program in Neuroscience Florida State University

2. What is the Definition of Neuroscience? Interdisciplinary study of relationships between brain structure and function, purpose of conscious and unconscious processes, and the control of behavior. Combines Psychology with elements of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. – Psychological Functions of The Brain – Integrative Functions of The Brain – Development and Aging of The Brain – Diseases of The Brain

3. What are the activities in which Neuroscientists engage? RESEARCH: “Science is a way of thinking. This is central to its success. Science invites us to let the facts in, even when they don’t conform to our preconceptions.” – Carl Sagan COMMUNICATE: Scientists openly share their experimental methods, results, and interpretations – on page and in person. Essential to communicate findings to peers and the public and to transfer the tradition of Science to the next generation. PARTICIPATE: Scientific and academic organizations operate in a democratic way. Peer review at many levels – funding, publication, promotion. Administrative service to professional organizations and educational institutions.

4. What types of organizations or businesses employ Neuroscientists? Universities (research + teaching) Colleges (teaching) Federal/State Agencies (legislation, implement policy, manage review and funding process) Private Foundations (manage review and funding process, raise funds for research, consulting) Industry (translating research into products) Media (translating research for the general public)

5. How much graduate training is needed to become a Neuroscientist? Masters Degree Optional Doctoral Degree (~5 yr) – Become an experimentalist – Learn to Communicate on page – Learn to Communicate in person

6. Are certifications or additional training needed to become a Neuroscientist? Post-Doctoral Training (3-5 yr) – Additional training and broadening as an experimentalist (neuroscience is interdisciplinary and data-driven) – Fine-tune communication skills (scientific, instructional, public) – Develop proposals to fund your independent research Not Necessary for Teaching Careers

7. How good are employment opportunities for Neuroscientists? Neuroscience is a young, growing field. Focus is still on basic research. Most neuroscientists are employed by research universities. For the most part, the jobs are where the universities are.

8. What salaries do Neuroscientists earn? Starting Academic Salary: 68-72K Advanced Academic Salary: 115-125K – Important to consider benefits as part of total compensation – Important to consider the opportunity one has to apply for funding – Important to consider the level of debt incurred during training (near zero)

9. How flexible are working conditions for Neuroscientists? Prepare to “work” 50-60hr per week – however: – Creativity demands a flexible schedule – A good portion of your time is your own – One can often work remotely and flexibly – Wardrobe costs are pretty reasonable

10. What skills and experiences should Undergrads acquire if they are interested in Neuroscience? Learn to enjoy working with your hands – 1+ years of undergraduate research experience a must – Most experimental techniques require ‘arts and crafts’ type skills Learn to be resilient in the face of failure – You’re trying to understand the product of 4 billion years of evolution – it might take a few tries to figure this one out – Make your failures work for you Develop a broad scientific curiosity – Coursework in Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. – Breadth over specialization – To be considered for graduate training, must have a GPA above 3.2 and score above the 50 th percentile on Verbal and Quantitative portions of GRE

11. What are the most rewarding aspects of being a Neuroscientist? Exploring the unknown. The opportunity to be creative in one’s profession. Neuroscience is interdisciplinary so you’re always learning something new. The opportunity to contribute to the body of human knowledge about the world.

12. What are the biggest drawbacks of being a Neuroscientist? Conscious experience has – thus far – proved to be of little value in understanding the brain. Frustrating. Science is completely unforgiving of professional dishonesty and plagiarism. Not really a drawback, but should be clearly understood before choosing this career. Regular people may find you weird.

13. Website recommendations for students interested in Neuroscience FSU Program in Neuroscience Searchable Directory of Neuroscience Training Programs Median Salary Information