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The
Neuroscience Major
Allegheny's neuroscience major formalizes an
alliance dating back 25 years between the College's well-known
biology and psychology departments. The major brings faculty and
students together to study the brain and the nervous system using
principles from the natural and social sciences. It requires a
common core of biology, chemistry, and psychology courses. Students
may choose from two tracks: "cellular neurobiology"
or "behavioral and cognitive neuroscience", and they
have the opportunity to explore interdisciplinary topics through
the Junior Seminar and the year-long Senior Research Project.
The goals that have guided the development of
the neuroscience program are: 1) to create a strong major that
prepares students well for continued study of neuroscience in
graduate and/or medical school and 2) within a liberal arts context,
to reach beyond neuroscience and create linkages with other disciplines
(e.g.communication arts, dance, music, philosophy, studio art).
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Neuroscience
News at Allegheny?
(updated 9/2/08)
Congratulations! to Katy Orchowski,
a junior neuroscience major, who was awarded first place in the
2007-2008 Psi Chi/J.P. Guilford Undergraduate Research Award Competition
for best empirical research paper. Her paper, “Effects of
Abrupt Withdrawal of Valproic Acid in Sprague-Dawley Rats,”
was the outcome of her independent study project from the Spring
2008 semester under the supervision of Rodney Clark, associate
professor of psychology and neuroscience. In addition to her award,
Katy received a cash prize, and her biography, photograph, and
paper’s abstract will appear in the Winter 2009 issue of
Eye on Psi Chi, the organization’s quarterly publication.
Sarah Snider ’09
and Molly Guest ’07, accompanied by Associate Professor
of Psychology and Neuroscience Rodney Clark, attended the
34th annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis
International (ABAI), held in San Diego May 23-27. Sarah and Molly
presented posters of their independent study and senior comprehensive
research project respectively. Sarah’s work was titled “Effects
of Mefloquine Hydrochloride on NMDA- and Kainate-Induced Drinking
in Sprague-Dawley Rats.” Molly’s was titled “Classical
Conditioning of Antiepileptic Drug Effects: Failure of Metrozol
to Produce Convulsions and the Production of Convulsions From
the Withdrawal From Chronic Valproic Acid.”
Abstract Submission Form: Graduating
seniors, please fill out the Neuroscience
Abstract Form when you have completed your senior project.
Current Students: Check out
the link to past senior project abstracts and the link to summer
internships under the "Info for Students" heading at
the top of this page.
Heuer Award: The Allegheny
College Neuroscience Program was recently awarded a Heuer Award
for Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Science Education.
See
Press Release.
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