How do our emotions generate false memories?
How do our arms help us understand language?
How do you scratch an itching missing limb?
For students who want to develop an advantage and take on the most advanced research in neuroscience during high school and before college starts, the neuroscience journal club will be a comprehensive hands-on primer into the world of neuroscience. Students will quickly pick up the skills necessary to understand primary scientific literature in an intimate and rigorous college seminar-like environment. Rather than memorize distantly related facts for a test, students here can expect to grow as rational inquirers and find themselves wagering elegant guesses to questions nobody has been able to answer.
The first half of the summer schedule will use primary literature to introduce three major fields within modern neuroscience and develop basic scientific literacy. They will then select topics of their own interests before a two-week break while the facilitator is away. During this time, the facilitator will help students select papers to read within those topics. The second half will be student-led as they build a healthy dialectical environment to learn and, more importantly, communicate to one another the problems and ideas in the papers they’ve read.
The material covered will carry a moderate degree of overlap with the AP Psychology curriculum and can be used as basic preparation, although the skills learned are meant to be applied to any discipline. Demonstrating familiarity with and a passion for primary research also shows colleges that one is independently motivated and capable.
Seeking high school students who are willing to put in effort to satisfy their curiosity for science and the world. Middle school students are welcome but may take a less active role. No specific background knowledge required.
Students who demonstrate consistent interest and attendance will be invited at the end of the summer to visit a neuroscience lab at Stanford University and talk to researchers.
The neuroscience club will meet once a week.
Week 1: How to read science papers and philosophy of science (first meeting 6/13 Saturday evening 6:30 to 9:00pm)
Week 2: Principles of neuroscience and research methods
Week 3: How do we sense the world? Perception and consciousness
Week 4: How do we learn, remember, and forget? Learning and memory
Week 5: What actually is language? High-level cognition, linguistics, and the body
Week 6: students will examine the literature
Week 7: students will examine the literature
Students will present their favorite papers from the above fields in weeks 8-12.
Visiting a neuroscience lab at Stanford University: TBD
Some interested students may not be able to attend all meetings, but are invited to participate.
Address: 1340 S De Anza Blvd. Suite 204, San Jose, CA 95129
Time: First meeting 6/13, 6:30 to 9:00pm (We can adjust the schedule by request or need)
Contact: 408-366-2204, 408-480-7547, spring.light.edu@gmail.com
Fee: 12 sessions $500
Registration: https://goo.gl/8TQUIf
Visiting a neuroscience lab at Stanford University: TBD
Address: 1340 S De Anza Blvd. Suite 204, San Jose, CA 95129
Time: First meeting 6/13, 6:30 to 9:00pm (We can adjust the schedule by request or need)
Contact: 408-366-2204, 408-480-7547, spring.light.edu@gmail.com
Fee: 12 sessions $500
Registration: https://goo.gl/8TQUIf
Instructor: Eddie Z. received his B.A in Psychology and Biology from Swarthmore College. He has conducted neuroscience research with Stanford University and is now working on a number of cognitive enhancement studies for the augmentation of learning and memory. He is passionate about increasing one’s capacity for learning through both sound pedagogy and techniques supported by new cutting-edge literature. Outside of his academic pursuits, his chief interests involve studying international relations and political development. Outside of his academic pursuits, his chief interests involve studying international relations and political development. He has many years experience mentoring younger students in scientific thinking and articulation and believes in its application to daily life and activity. Notably, he coached Swarthmore College’s undefeated strength sports team using a quantified approach that integrated knowledge across several fields of research.