Students prepare a mini-grant proposal on a research topic chosen in consultation with the course director and a faculty member with expertise on the topic. In this course, first-year students in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience read and critically evaluate current research literature. The discussion of a single paper lasts two weeks. Analysis is conducted by identifying the given facts from previous research and the hypotheses that the authors are attempting to prove. The second session begins with a discussion of the information relevant to the learning objectives and the questions raised during the first week are answered before evaluating the conclusions of the paper.
Faculty members facilitate the discussion.
When outside speakers come for the Neuroscience Seminar series, a paper from the speaker's laboratory is analyzed and the speaker is present for one class session. This gives students the opportunity to meet and interact with the visiting speaker. The students have a chance to ask the speaker questions pertaining to the research reported in the paper and its conclusions. This has proved highly productive and educational both for the students and the speakers. This course is offered only in the fall and is a requirement for all first-year IPN students.