Trinity University s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Major

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1 Trinity University s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Major Mark Brodl, Professor of Biology Paula Hertel, Professor of Psychology James Roberts, Professor of Biology

2 Motivation for the Major Student interest double majors, BIOL majors in PSYC, PSYC majors in BIOL, questions from prospective students Faculty interest biologists and psychologists with good working relationships and an existing stable of courses that would facilitate working across departmental lines An important line to cross at Trinity PSYC was seen by many in the sciences as a social science, due to prior divisional lines. Overcoming this perception would facilitate course development and research efforts by both students and faculty.

3 Building the Major Faculty from BIOL, CHEM, and PSYC formed a Faculty Advisory Committee With funding from our 2004 HHMI grant, an adjunct faculty member was hired to allow us to offer BIOL/NEUR 3447 Neurobiology, a cornerstone of the major Existing courses in BIOL and PSYC that were appropriate for the major were modified Approval through the University Curriculum Council and final approval of the faculty at the Faculty Assembly The new Neuroscience major was officially on the books for the academic year

4 The Major Core curriculum in neuroscience (11-14 hours): NEUR 2310 Introduction to Neuroscience NEUR 2110 Introductory Laboratory in Neuroscience NEUR 3447 Neurobiology NEUR 4000 Neuroscience Seminar (4 semesters) NEUR 4-90 Independent Research in Neuroscience Supporting courses in biology (9 hours): BIOL 1311 Integrative Biology I BIOL 1111 Introductory Biology Laboratory BIOL 1312 Integrative Biology II BIOL 1212 Methods for Biological Problem Solving Supporting courses in chemistry (8 hours): CHEM 1318 Chemistry in the Modern World CHEM 1118 Introduction to Analytical Methods CHEM 2319 Organic Chemistry CHEM 2119 Laboratory Methods in Organic Chemistry Supporting courses in psychology (8 hours): PSYC 2401 Statistics and Methods I PSYC 2402 Statistics and Methods II

5 The Major Three elective courses from below, at least one in each discipline (10-11 hours): BIOL 3430 Animal Behavior BIOL 3432 Vertebrate Physiology BIOL 3443 Developmental Biology BIOL 3446 Cell Biology BIOL -91 Selected Topics (3 hours, advisory approval required) PSYC 2312 Principles of Learning PSYC 2330 Fundamentals of Cognition PSYC 3311 Sensation and Perception PSYC 3331 Memory and Cognition PSYC 3333 Simulation of Neural Processes PSYC 3360 Special Topics in Psychology (advisory approval required) PSYC 4390 Senior Seminar in Psychology (advisory approval required)

6 Thus Far Academic Year Neuroscience Major Declared Majors Degrees Awarded * *projected

7 Postgraduate activities HS teacher Dallas, Austin PhD programs in Neuroscience including Emory, UT- Austin, MD programs including UTHSCSA, Johns Hopkins Technicians with plans to pursue PhD or MD (UTHSCSA, Rice)

8 Growing Pains Enrollments (# wait listed) Course Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Intro to Neuroscience (NEUR 2310/PSYC 2310) 13/19 (7) 14/16 (4) 11/9 (0) 15/12 (2) 27/20 (15) 14/12 (16) 31/12 (13) Neuroscience Laboratory (NEUR 2110/PSYC 2110) 10/1 (0) 23/10 (11) 15/16 (16) Neurobiology (NEUR 3447/BIOL 3447) 6/8 (0) 4/7 (0) 6/14 (9) 12/7 (6)

9 Growing Pains Enrollments in Neuroscience Electives (# wait listed) Course Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Animal Behavior 23 (2) 24 (6) 24 (9) 12 (4) Vertebrate Physiology 28 (6) 28 (5) 25 (4) 24 (9) Developmental Biology 31 (6) 16 (6) 16 (5) Cell Biology* 16 (8) 14 (6) Fundamentals of Cognition 12 (0) 22 (17) 60 (8) Principles of Learning 29 (0) Sensation and Perception 13 (0) 20 (4) Simul Neural Cog Processes 14 (2) Memory and Cognition 18 (0) new in: *spring 07, fall 08

10 Growing Pains NEUR 4390 Independent Research in Neuroscience A good deal of flexibility summer research Critical mass

11 On the Immediate Horizon Neuroscientist at the helm, 25+ yr experience New position neurobiophysicist funded by our 2008 HHMI grant New position psychology to help support statistics and methods courses Replacement hires in biology and psychology animal behaviorist and neuroscientist, respectively Program budget (modest) Student neuroscience group- student driven, faculty supported Integration expanded to Physics and Chemistry Active seminar program integrated across disciplines Research experience- enhance collaborations w/ local and national neuroscientists w/ TU faculty for student experience

12 On the More Distant Horizon New position pharmacologist (chemistry) to be funded by our 2012 HHMI grant Changes in the curriculum to make it more quantitative Changes in the curriculum to expand molecular and cellular orientation