Research


Getting involved in neuroscience research

How to get involved in research:
Many research laboratories at GSU provide opportunities for students to work or volunteer part-time. If you are interested in laboratory research experience, follow the simple steps listed below.  (We do *not* recommend that you “cold call” professors and ask for research credit.) 

Do:

  1. Start early, and plan one to two semesters ahead from when you want to start working in the laboratory.
  2. Identify your research interests, by visiting the Biology and Psychology home pages, or other related sites, and read faculty’s research pages.
  3. Once you have found faculty members whose research interests mirror yours, search for and download articles written by the professor (try pubmed or they often link articles on their home page). 
  4. Try and read article. It shows you are proactive, even if you don’t understand the article.
  5. Make contact with the faculty member(s), email is usually best, but office hours are okay. Ask for an appointment to discuss the read articles and their research.
  6. Show up on time, with the article to discuss.
  7. Determine whether the research fits your interest, and if you get along with the faculty member. Follow up on it, ask to see the laboratory, maintain contact, take their classes, etc.

Don’t:

  • Don't cold call the professors
  • Don't show up randomly, not during office hours.
  • Don't show up two weeks before the semester starts and ask for research credit.
  • Don’t assume that because 4900 research credit on gosolar is available, they are currently accepting students in their laboratory. The class listing is a default, and it is up to the faculty member's discretion to take on students.
  • Don’t sign up for research hours you can’t handle; it is a class to be taken seriously, and not showing up results in a F.

Planning:

  • Plan to research for at least two continuous semesters. It takes a large portion of a semester to be trained, so everyone gets more out of it the longer you stay.
  • You need to spend at least 12-15 hours a week in the lab in order to make a dent in research.
  • Make room in your course schedule for the 12-15 hours a week. Each hour of research credit corresponds to 3 hours in the laboratory. If you are taking 18 hours of upper level classes and working, research is probably not going to be a viable option that semester.
  • Volunteer for research only if you can maintain a high GPA. Don't let research compromise your schoolwork. 
  • http://www.biology.gsu.edu/people/faculty/fullbiologyfaclist.cfm

Master’s Students:

  • You should keep in mind that there’s often a 6000 or 7000 version of the undergraduate 3000 or 4000 level class.
  • The thesis program is more strong enourcaged than a non-thesis masters. Non-thesis matsters lack a lab experience component, which is a critical part of graduate school. A thesis track program with research allows you to get much more out of it.

Other Research:

Outside Resources:

  • During the summer, the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience hosts a two month long research experience for undergraduates called BRAIN. Students receive mentoring from scientists at Georgia State University, Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Institute of Technology, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College, as well as weekly seminars on special topics to prepare students for success in research programs. It hopes to develop the skills necessary for the successful pursuit of a doctorate degree.  http://cbn-atl.org/education/brain.shtml

  • Brains and Behavior Summer Scholarships:  These Scholarships are meant to complement the University Scholars program. They are offered with the same conditions as Presidential Assistantships http://www.gsu.edu/es/apply_university_scholarships.html and the additional proviso that they would support undergraduate student research activities in a B&B faculty member's laboratory for work in the neurobiology and behavior. See Tara Alexander for more details. biotea@langate.gsu.edu

  • Brains and Behavior: www.brainsbehavior.gsu.edu The These groups foster collaborations between faculty from the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy, and Psychology.

  • Summer School of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology: This program “is an intensive one week course in the basic principles of behavioral neuroendocrinology accompanied by hands-on demonstrations and lectures from leaders in the field. The course is intended for undergraduates, or people who have recently received their undergraduate degree, who are contemplating applying to graduate school. The aim is to give the trainees an appreciation for behavioral neuroendocrinology as a field, and to give them a sense of what it is like to have a career in science.” http://www.msu.edu/~breedsm/ssbn.htm