Assistant Professor of Psychology
Vikranth Rao Bejjanki
Vik Rao Bejjanki uses a range of methods, such as psychophysics, to study learning.
Neuroscience
Research will be central to your studies, and as a neuroscience major, by senior year you will be ready to delve into an in-depth research project. You will find opportunity to excel outside the classroom, for instance getting a grant to conduct summer research with a professor or coauthoring a paper that is published in a scholarly journal.
About the Major
Hamilton’s neuroscience faculty works with students to examine intriguing and fundamental questions: What is the relationship between behavior and biology? How can that relationship best be observed and studied? What does it reveal about ourselves, our culture, our health, even our technology? These are the questions posed and pursued by neuroscience, the multidisciplinary study of the nervous system.
I picked a small liberal arts school because I wanted to be a part of a tight-knit community. I wanted the opportunity to get to know my professors and to enjoy a more personal classroom environment. My active participation in class discussions has benefited me in a way that a lecture-style setting could not. Hamilton has met every expectation.
Marina Palumbo — Neuroscience major
The study of the nervous system has a clear, practical impact on advances in mental and physical health, child development and aging, medicine, education and many other fields. By drawing on a range of research disciplines, neuroscience is also uniquely positioned to demonstrate the ways in which psychology, biology and chemistry intersect with philosophy, mathematics and – increasingly – computer science.
Careers After Hamilton
- Researcher, National Institute for Drug Abuse
- Medical Student, Harvard Medical School
- Research Analyst, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch
- Neurologist & Neuro-Oncologist, Unity Hospital
- Science Teacher, New York City Department of Education
- Neuropsychologist, Sports Concussion New England
- Assistant Professor, Penn State College of Medicine
- Researcher, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Meet Our Faculty
Assistant Professor of Biology
Rhea Datta
Rhea Datta studies gene regulation to address biological processes during eye and embryo development.
Professor of Biology
Herman Lehman
Herm Lehman's research is focused on the development and function of neurotransmitters.
Associate Professor of Psychology, Director of Neuroscience
Alexandra List
Alexandra List researches our understanding of how we perceive visual, auditory and haptic information.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Siobhan Robinson
Siobhan Robinson conducts research across a wide range of neuroscience subfields.
A Sampling of Courses
Fundamentals of Neurobiology 205
Introduction to the field of neuroscience from a biological perspective. In-depth examination of fundamental concepts in neurobiology designed to introduce students to the electrophysiological, chemical and anatomical features of neurons, brain regions and brain circuits. Investigation of the neurobiological basis of behavior through exploration of topics such as neuronal communication, neuroanatomy, sensory and motor systems, learning, motivation, and behavior disorders.
View All CoursesPsychology and Neuroscience of Learning 320
An exploration of theoretical and methodological questions involved in the study of learning and neural plasticity. Questions covered will include: What is learning? What are the mechanisms that support neural plasticity, and how do they contribute to learning-induced changes in behavior? How does learning change across the lifespan? Laboratory exercises will include the development of original experiments to elicit and measure learning at the behavioral and neural levels, as well as the analysis of neural data. Three hours of class and three hours of laboratory.
View All CoursesSensation and Perception 338
An exploration of sensory systems and perceptual experiences. This course will address how we obtain information from our physical environment and use it to create the vibrant experience of our own bodies and the world around us. An emphasis on vision, but also covering audition, somatosensation, olfaction and gustation. Topics will include methodological approaches, sensory pathways and neurobiological mechanisms, disorders, illusions and multi-sensory interactions.
View All CoursesNeurobiology of Addiction 355
This course is centered on understanding the neurobiology of the “addicted brain.” Strong emphasis on the neurobiological effects of drugs of abuse, including short and longer-term changes in the brain and body that occur in response to drug use and abuse. A sampling of drugs to be discussed include cocaine, heroin, marijuana, hallucinogens and alcohol. Effectiveness of various treatment strategies will also be considered. Some discussion of the social, political and philosophical aspects of addiction to drug and non-drug substances (e.g., food compulsions and pathological gambling).
View All CoursesCellular Neurobiology 357
A study of the fundamental functions of eukaryotic cells. The interrelationships of cellular structure and function, the cell cycle, protein trafficking and cellular communication will be examined through the study of neurons, the basic unit of the nervous system. Additional topics will include specialized activities of neurons. Three hours class and three hours of laboratory.
View All CoursesToday and Tomorrow
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