Research Summer School 2013: Brain and Behaviour

Application ends Tuesday 30th April 2013

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 1st July – 30th August 2013

If you are over 18, have or are in university education and are looking to move into research the Institute of Neuroscience may be able to offer you a place at the Research Summer School 2013.

This summer school includes an eight-week research project with a member of the Institute (see list below), as well as introductory training sessions. Scholarships for select undergraduate and postgraduate students are available. Our areas of research span from the basic biology of neurons to the abnormal activity associated with epilepsy, from music perception to mood disorders, from visual object recognition to retinal prostheses for the blind, from animal decision-making to animal welfare, from mitochondrial genetics to neurological disease. This breadth of interests stimulates innovative approaches to our science and provides a wealth of opportunities for exciting new research projects.

We invite applications from national and international undergraduate students, master and doctoral students, and post-docs conducting research in the interdisciplinary fields of:

  • Animal Cognition and Behaviour (including Animal Welfare)
  • Psychology and Cognitive Neurosciences
  • Developmental Neuroscience, Ageing and Neurodegeneration
  • Neural Circuits and Neuroimaging
  • Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Motor Control
  • Neuropharmacology and Neurotechnology
  • Psychiatric Neurosciences
  • Visual, Auditory and Sensory Neuroscience

Please note if you have already completed your first degree please contact us before completing the application form.

The following hosts are able to offer Research Summer School places in their laboratories:

  • Dr Kai Alter, Senior Lecturer (Cognitive Neuroscience and Auditory Processing).  Research: EEG, behaviour, speech and language processing, auditory cognitive Neuroscience
  • Dr Peter Andras, Reader in Complex Systems.  Research: We use high-speed voltage sensitive dye imaging to record the neurons in the crab stomatogastric ganglion (STG). We build computational and FPGA models of neurons to explain how the joint activity of them changes under the impact of neuromodulators.
  • Prof Melissa Bateson, Reader in Ethology (Animal Behaviour/cognition and welfare).  Research: Cognition and behaviour in European starlings
  • Dr Jim Clapp, Visiting Researcher.  Research: Monitoring stress in cattle using heart rate variability to quantify welfare.
  • Dr Mark Cunningham, Senior Lecturer in Neuronal Dynamics (Neuronal oscillations laboratory).  Research: neuronal oscillations in health and disease
  • Dr Andrew Jackson, Wellcome Trust RCD Fellow (Movement Laboratory).  Research:  Motor control, Movement disorders, Brain-Machine Interfaces
  • Dr Marcus Kaiser, Reader in Neuroinformatics (Connectomics and Neuroimaging Laboratory) Research:  Analysis, Simulation, and Modelling of Human Brain Network Development and Dynamics with Applications in Epilepsy and Schizophrenia
  • Dr Fiona LeBeau, Lecturer.  (Oscillations group) Research: Investigating cortical network oscillations in vitro and in vivo in the rodent prefrontal cortex.
  • Dr Chris Petkov, Senior Lecturer (Comparative Neuropsychology).  Research:  Cognition and Communication
  • Dr Claire Rind, Reader in Invertebrate Neurobiology.  Research: Insect vision and bioinspired designs; Tarantula adhesion
  • Dr Gilbert Roberts, Senior Lecturer (Centre for Behaviour and Evolution). Research: Cooperative behaviour - experimental and theoretical
  • Dr Candy Rowe, Reader in Animal Behaviour and Cognition (Predator behaviour and the evolution of prey defences). Research: Animal behaviour and cognition (particularly relating to dietary choices and animal welfare)
  • Dr Tom Smulders, Senior Lecturer (Neuroecology of Learning and Memory).  Research: Function and evolution of avian hippocampus; episodic memory in humans and other animals; animal welfare (chickens); function of water-induced finger wrinkles.

Applications

Visit undergraduate vacation studentships for more information on available funding. Self-funded students can apply up until the deadline of Tuesday 30th April 2013. Applications will be forwarded to your preferred host laboratories and places offered at their discretion. Please note:

  • "Self-funded" in this context means you would be able to cover your own expenses while taking part in the Research Summer School
  • The deadline is mainly for administrative purposes, to ensure we can register you in time for the start of the Research Summer School; applications received before the deadline will be forwarded immediately and placements can be offered before the deadline for applications closes. As such, we recommend you send your application as soon as possible.

How to Apply

If you are interested in applying for a place at the Research Summer School please apply via our online application form:  IoN Research Summer School Application Form

In your personal statement you should outline your scientific background, the area(s) of research that you are interested in pursuing and why and the name(s) of the host laboratories you are interested in working in.

Once we have received your personal statement and CV, we will forward this information onto participating academics. Places are not guaranteed and would be dependent on the availability and interests of our academics.

If you have any queries, please contact us on 0191 222 8244 or ion-postgrad-enq@ncl.ac.uk