Information for First-Year Students considering Mind/Brain/Behavior
Fall 2009-2010
Welcome to Harvard, and to the Mind/Brain/Behavior program! You signed up for the MBB e-mail list at the Advising Fair or Activities Fair this week, and this letter will provide you with some general information about Mind/Brain/Behavior programs and activities that may interest you.
Mind/Brain/Behavior Program Options
Students who wish to pursue formal study in mind/brain/behavior may do so in two ways at Harvard. First, students who wish to integrate their interests in mind/brain/behavior with their concentration interests may pursue an MBB track within several concentrations (Computer Science, History and Science, Human Evolutionary Biology, Linguistics, Neurobiology, Philosophy, and Psychology). Students in MBB tracks write a senior honors thesis and are awarded a Certificate in Mind/Brain/Behavior in addition to their bachelor's degree. Students who are interested in other concentrations, who do not seek to integrate their mind/brain/behavior and concentration interests, or who may not be interested in writing a senior honors thesis may complete a secondary field in mind/brain/behavior. A secondary field in MBB requires five half-courses, only one of which may also be counting toward another college requirement (e.g., concentration, general education). These five half courses are Science of Living Systems 20 (Psychological Science), Molecular and Cellular Biology 80 (Neurobiology of Behavior), and interdisciplinary seminar, and two mind/brain/behavior electives. Students who complete a secondary field will have this accomplishment noted on their transcript. Details are provided or linked from the MBB webpage, http://mbb.harvard.edu.
Course Work
The MBB secondary field and most MBB tracks recommend that first-year students take Science of Living Systems 20. SLS 20 will be offered both semesters this year, in the fall by Professor Steven Pinker and in the spring by Professor Daniel Gilbert. The fall course will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-4 p.m. in Paine Hall (Music Building), with a first course meeting on Thursday, September 3rd 2:30-4 p.m. in Sanders Theatre (Memorial Hall). We encourage you to add SLS 20 to your fall or spring course shopping lists, and to try to take it one of these semesters.
If you are considering an MBB track, the related concentration may have additional courses it recommends you take this year (e.g., Life Science 1a for most Neurobiology students). Consult with the relevant concentration for details.
Research Opportunities
MBB encourages all students, both those in secondary fields and those in tracks who will eventually have to conduct independent research for their senior thesis, to have a research experience while involved in MBB. You certainly do not need to begin researching in the first year, but if you have a strong interest in research, you are very welcome to consider the possibility. The MBB website includes a section on research opportunities, http://mbb.harvard.edu/undergrad/opportunities.php. This page is constantly updated, and currently includes opportunities in such diverse areas as animal cognition, face recognition, cortical neuron activity, the perception of mixed-race individuals, implicit social cognition, and the early identification of youth at risk for psychosis.
Many of these research listings are eligible for course credit through MBB 90r (Supervised Research: Topics in Mind/Brain/Behavior). MBB 90r applications for this semester will usually be submitted by noon on Tuesday, September 8th. More details are available on the MBB 90r webpage, http://mbb.harvard.edu/undergrad/MBB90fall2009.php.
If you are considering an MBB track, you should consult with relevant concentration advisors about research credit (your track may have a research course you should take instead of MBB 90r), and about whether specific research projects listed on the MBB website would be appropriate for students in the particular track you are considering. You are also welcome to speak with me about how best to explore research opportunities at Harvard; e-mail me at shawn_harriman@harvard.edu to schedule an appointment.
Advising
First-years exploring mind/brain/behavior have several sources of advice.
For advice about specific MBB tracks and their requirements, consult concentration advisors in the relevant concentration. The MBB website's track section provides contract information.
For broader MBB advice, including comparing MBB tracks, specific MBB course requirements, and exploring research opportunities, please feel free to consult me. You may e-mail me a short question (shawn_harriman@harvard.edu), or may instead e-mail me to request a meeting to discuss more detailed concerns.
For broader MBB advice about the kinds of courses you might take; and MBB and its constituent disciplines, methodologies, and questions; about how to become involved in research; and about career development, you may speak with members of our Board of Faculty Advisors. This year's board consists of faculty from both your home school the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School, all of whom have been involved in a broad range of MBB programs over a number of years. To schedule an appointment with one of these advisors, e-mail them.
Professor Verne Caviness
http://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/doctors/doctor.aspx?id=16391
caviness@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Professor Albert Galaburda
http://www.bidmc.org/CentersandDepartments/Departments/Neurology/CognitiveNeurology/MeetOurCognitiveNeurologyTeam.aspx
agalabur@bidmc.harvard.edu
Professor Margaret Livingstone
http://neuro.med.harvard.edu/faculty/livingstone.html
margaret_livingstone@harvard.edu
Professor Richard Wrangham
http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/directory/researchers/richard-wrangham
wrangham@fas.harvard.edu
Additional faculty may join the board as the year progresses. Check our (currently under construction) advising page for updates.
Special Events
The larger MBB community gathers several times each semester for a variety of exciting events. In recent years these events have included cross-disciplinary conversations, discussion of recent faculty publications, and series of lectures by distinguished guests to Harvard. As specific events are organized, we will e-mail you details and hope you will be able to join us for them.
The Harvard Society for Mind/Brain/Behavior (HSMBB)
HSMBB is an integral part of the MBB undergraduate program, and is dedicated to building a community among MBB students. HSMBB activities include regular seminars led by faculty and other researchers, communi-teas providing opportunities for students and faculty from across MBB to meet and chat, and the publication The Harvard Brain. To be informed about these and other HSMBB activities, join its mailing list at http://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/hsmbb-list.
The HSMBB start-the-year Open House will feature faculty and advisors involved in MBB undergraduate programs, and we hope you will be able to attend. It will take place on Wednesday, September 9th from 4 to 6 p.m. In the Bechtel Room (room 107) in Emerson Hall.
Additional Information
If you have any questions about any of this or about any other MBB activities, feel free to check our website for details (http://mbb.harvard.edu) or to e-mail me (shawn_harriman@harvard.edu). The website provides details or links to track and secondary field requirements, MBB courses, research opportunities faculty and other Harvard researchers have asked us to post for undergraduates, and MBB in general. In addition, MBB sends out an e-newsletter with information updates about monthly during the academic year. If you are receiving this letter, you are on the mailing list for these newsletters.
We are very pleased that you have joined the Harvard community, and will look forward to working with you this year as you become acclimated to college life and explore your academic options, including those in mind/brain/behavior. Have a fine and productive semester!