The long history of neuroscience scholarship and research at UMass Amherst has just reached a significant milestone with the addition of a new Neuroscience major. The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) and the Department of Biology are jointly offering a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience. This interdisciplinary major will provide students with core scientific concepts and frameworks underlying the nervous system, elective courses, and hands-on laboratory experiences.
The opportunity for students to enroll in a neuroscience-specific direction for their studies began with the neuroscience track within the Psychology major. Early on, PBS faculty member Jerry Meyer met with Biology’s Gordon Wyse to create a set of courses that blended psychological science with biology fundamentals. They wanted to give students the chance to focus on the cutting-edge field of neuroscience and allow their fascination with science to propel them forward in their career.
The neuroscience track has grown steadily in the past decade to include over 350 students, reflecting the growth of the field and increasing student interest. Now with the introduction of the neuroscience major, prospective undergraduate students will recognize UMass Amherst as the premier destination for neuroscience research that it is. Most importantly, current and former students have long advocated for an official neuroscience major; they are passionate about the field and take a rigorous interdisciplinary science curriculum including advanced electives and lab courses. Now their degrees will reflect their hard work and dedication.
A highlight of the thriving neuroscience community at UMass Amherst is the UMass Neuroscience Club. This past year, the club has been full of engaging opportunities for students to explore the brain, connect across disciplines, and learn about cutting-edge research. The club hosted a wide range of guest speakers, including Professor Luke Healey, who shared his work on forebrain estrogen signaling in songbirds; Professor Rebecca Spencer, who discussed her research on various aspects of sleep and memory; Dr. Michael Hanau, a psychiatrist who led an engaging career Q & A; and sports neurologist Dr. Alex Bodroghy who shared information about brain health in athletes.
Members also had the chance to attend tours of the Human Magnetic Resonance Center and the SomNeuro Lab’s sleep monitoring facility—both right on campus. These events gave students firsthand insight into the diverse career paths and research opportunities available in neuroscience. Additionally, the club hosted numerous social events, held collaborative meetings with other student organizations, volunteered at a local nursing home, and attended the annual NEURON conference at Quinnipiac University’s medical school in Connecticut. At the conference students networked and learned about some of the latest advances in subjects like connectomics, Intraoperative Neuromonitoring and Surgical Neurophysiology (IONM), and leveraging Al in psychological science.
“As we look ahead, the Neuroscience Club remains committed to creating a vibrant, inclusive space for students interested in the brain, whether they’re pursuing a career in neuroscience or just curious about how the mind works,” says Tara Shirname, club president.
Students involved in neuroscience at UMass also contribute to the University in a broad sense, engaging in assignments that have a significant impact on their fellow students. Take the first declared neuroscience major Neve Modlin, who is currently working as the lab manager of the Language, Intersensory Perception, and Speech (LIPS) Lab directed by Associate Professor Alexandra Jesse. Her lab experience has taught her about the importance of task delegation, practicing clear communication, and building community within a team.
Neve is also a member of PBS’s peer advising team. “Being a peer advisor taught me that learning is endless, there is always something new to learn from others as well as what others can learn from you. Through being a peer advisor, I was able to connect with so many students at UMass, which was such an amazing opportunity,” she says.
Additionally, she was a teaching assistant for Psych 330: Introduction to Neuroscience taught by faculty member Lori Astheimer. She grasped how to view course content not only from a “learning” lens, but also from a “teaching” perspective. “As a TA, I learned the best way to break down topics to teach them later in discussion, as well as how to adapt to different learning styles to best convey course material that students needed more clarification on.”
Faculty member Amanda Hamel had this to say about the outstanding students that make up her courses, including Neuroscience Laboratory. “The Neuroscience students here at UMass are truly exceptional. They are eager, motivated learners whose enthusiasm and academic rigor elevate our discussions and drive courses forward. In the upper-level seminar Drugs & Behavior, for example, our students apply foundational principles of psychopharmacology to critically examine challenging real-world issues, from addiction and drug abuse to the use of medications to safely and effectively treat mental health disorders.
“In the Neuroscience Laboratory course, students explore hands-on techniques, such as fMRI, fluorescence microscopy, and enzyme immunoassays, to deepen their understanding of research methods and foundational concepts within the field, which they then apply to the study of a particular disorder or topic. Throughout their studies, Neuroscience students are not only mastering content, but they are also grappling with real and meaningful issues and working towards solutions with curiosity and critical thinking.”