Research
Our research is diverse and frequently applies basic scientific research to real-world problems.
Undergraduates often have the opportunity to work directly with faculty and graduate students in the lab as well as in the classroom. Many of our undergraduates attend national scientific conferences where they present research that they have been conducting, and a surprising number eventually serve as co-authors on published research.
Doctoral students can be involved in interdisciplinary research that reaches across departments. Many of our doctoral students participate in the Teaching Apprenticeship Program in which they receive formal training and guided experiences that lead to independent teaching. The success of this program is reflected in the numerous local and regional teaching awards that students have received.
The department houses the Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Approaches to Plasticity (CNAP). The Center was established in 2017 and is funded by a 5-year $10.6 million NIH grant. CNAP research focuses on plasticity which is how organisms respond to change. Plasticity can involve the ability to change behavior in response to the environment or it can involve how the brain matures and changes over time.
Research Areas