Information for First-Year Students considering Mind/Brain/Behavior
Spring 2008-2009
(If you did not receive this information in an e-mail, please e-mail Shawn Harriman at shawn_harriman@harvard.edu so we can add you to our e-mail lists. If you have dropped your interest in MBB since last semester, please also e-mail Shawn so we can remove you from our e-mail lists.)
Welcome to the spring 2009 semester! This letter will highlight several aspects of your MBB experience, including course work and activities, that will take place this spring.
Course Work
Most first-years interested in mind/brain/behavior should take Science B-62 (The Human Mind: Introduction to MBB) this spring. The course will be offered by Professor Steven Pinker and will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Science Center B. If you know you will be pursuing thepsychology MBB track and took Psychology 1 this fall, you will not need to take Science B-62. In some circumstances, first-years might take Molecular and Cellular Biology 80 (The Neurobiology of Behavior), the sophomore-year MBB foundation course, but this is unusual and if you are considering this option, you might want to contact me to discuss whether this would be appropriate for your interests. MCB 80 meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Northwest Labs B-103.
Most of your other course work is likely to be dedicated to fulfilling college first-year requirements, concentration exploration, and for some pre-medical requirements. If you have additional space in your schedule, you are welcome to look through the short MBB chapter in the course catalog. New courses just added to the on-line catalog include MBB 97 (Why We Hate) and MBB 90r (Supervised Research). Both are courses more likely to be taken by upper-class students, but if you are interested in gaining research experience early on, you might consider MBB 90r. The course requires regular work in a laboratory or research program, and an end-of-semester written research report. In most situations, students considering MBB tracks should conduct such research through a tutorial course (e.g., 91r, 910r) in their intended home department/concentration, but occasionally MBB 90r will be appropriate. In most cases, it will be appropriate for students considering a secondary field in MBB. If you would like to consider taking this course, additional information and a link to the required application is available at http://mbb.harvard.edu/mbb90.php, and you may contact Shawn Harriman at shawn_harriman@harvard.edu, if you have any questions.
MBB Advising Meeting: Monday February 2nd, 4-6 p.m., Ticknor Lounge (Boylston Hall)
The undergraduate group HSMBB and the MBB office are co-sponsoring a shopping week advising meeting featuring MBB faculty, advisors, and students who will be available to chat with students about MBB programs and courses. If you have questions about fitting MBB courses into your concentration or secondary field, would like to talk to spring MBB course instructors, or would like to hear about the student perspective on MBB offerings, we think you will find this event very helpful as you plan your spring semester and beyond. Refreshments will be provided, and we hope to see you there!
Other MBB Advising Opportunities
Most requirements-oriented advising for MBB students will take place in the specific concentration of the track they are interested in (see http://mbb.harvard.edu/undergrad/trackcontact.php for details). Secondary field students with questions about course requirements are welcome to contact Shawn Harriman at shawn_harriman@harvard.edu.
First years seeking a broader range of advice, including advice about the kinds of courses you might take, about MBB and its constituent disciplines, methodologies, and questions; about how to become involved in MBB research; and about career development, you may speak with members of our new Board of Faculty Advisors. This year's board consists of faculty from Harvard Medical School who have been involved in a broad range of MBB programs over a number of years. You may e-mail to schedule an appointment with one of these advisors.
- 2008-2009 Board of Faculty Advisors in MBB
- Professor Richard Born
Click here to view his website - Professor Verne Caviness
Click here to view his website - Professor Albert Galaburda
Click here to view his website - Professor Margaret Livingstone
Click here to view her website - Professor Robert Stickgold
Click here to view his website - Professor Mark Tramo
Click here to view his website
Finally, MBB plans to hold another advising meeting during the Advising Fortnight for first-years later in the semester, and will e-mail details to all first-year students on our e-mail list.
Special Events and Activities: MBB and HSMBB
The larger MBB community will gather this spring for several exciting events we hope you will be able to attend. These will include the annual distinguished lecturers, scheduled for April 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, to be delivered by Daniel Dennett.
In addition the MBB student group, the Harvard Society for Mind/Brain/Behavior (HSMBB), is planning a busy and interesting series of spring term activities, including weekly teas, an April event highlighting the Intersection of Art and Mind/Brain/Behavior, a neuroeconomics symposium, and a continually of this past fall’s totally informal seminar series. Dates for some events have already been set (locations TBA):
- Tuesday, February 17th, 4 p.m., Totally Informal Seminar
Professor Joshua Sanes - Tuesday, February 24th, 4 p.m., Totally Informal Seminar
Jonah Lehrer, author of Proust was a Neuroscientist and the new How We Decide - Tuesday, March 17th, 4-6 p.m. with dinner reception to follow, Symposium
Economic Decision-Making: Perspectives from Neuroscience, Economics, and Psychology
To receive additional details on these and other HSMBB events and activities, join the group’s mailing list by visiting http://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/hsmbb-list or e-mailing hsmbb-list-request@lists.hcs.harvard.edu with “help” as the subject line or message.
If you have any questions about any of the information in this e-mail, feel free to contacte Shawn Harirman at shawn_harriman@harvard.edu.
We at MBB wish you a productive and exciting semester!