Experiments and Models for Teaching Undergraduate Neuroscience - Curriculum Development Workshop

teachers and experiment at the workshop The field of Computational Neuroscience has developed a variety of tools to abstract and generalize principles of neural function using mathematics. While some are powerful research tools in molecular, cellular, and systems level neuroscience, others provide valuable tools for teaching neuroscience. Several comprehensive yet easy to use and low cost software packages are now available to model neurons and networks in the classroom and teaching laboratory. Neural models can be used alone, or together with simple biological experiments to demonstrate basic neurobiological concepts and thus give students a unique hands-on experience in the field.

University of Missouri-Columbia faculty in Engineering and Biological Sciences offer a two-day interdisciplinary workshop Experiments and Models for Teaching Undergraduate Neuroscience [flyer (pdf)] focused on novel curriculum development in neuroscience and held in late July or early August on the Columbia campus. This National Science Foundation-funded workshop is designed for faculty at 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities, and high school teachers with an interest in teaching and learning more about neuroscience.

The workshop introduces models and experiments that can be incorporated in existing neurobiology or physiology courses, or that can be used to develop entirely new courses. They can be implemented using equipment that is commonly present in biology teaching labs or that can be custom built locally at low cost. Workshop participants are supplied with materials to support the implementation these models and experiments. Workshop participants also become part of a neuroscience support network.

For Further Information Contact:

Dr. Satish Nair
Electrical and Computer Engineering
phone: 573-882-2964
email: nairs@missouri.edu

Dr. Johannes Schul
Division of Biological Sciences
phone: 573-882-3480
email: schulj@missouri.edu