Carleton College
Biology Department
One North College Street
Northfield, Minnesota 55057
April 8, 2015
Proposal for New FTE in Neuroscience
Dear Dean Nagel,
Given the increasing interest in neuroscience coinciding with the progress in planning for the science
facilities, this is an opportune time to consider how the College might reinforce the Neuroscience
concentration and plan for the future, including the possibility of an eventual neuroscience major. We
realize that to strengthen Neuroscience, we need to create a physical space, or “heart” for neuroscience
within the science complex. While we anticipate that this “heart” will bring students and faculty
together to strengthen and foster a neuroscience identity at Carleton, it has also become clear that
supporting our students’ development as neuroscientists will require significant faculty resources. The
current Neuroscience committee is made up of three faculty from Psychology (Meerts, Neiworth, and
Wichlinski) and three faculty from Biology (Jaramillo, Rand, and Wolff). The members of this
committee have discussed at length the curricular development and growth of the concentration. In
addition, the recent departmental reviews for Psychology and Biology have considered the need for
growth in the area of neuroscience. Please accept this document as a proposal for a new FTE in the
area of Neuroscience.
Introduction
Neuroscience centers on the study of the brain and the nervous system. These amazing anatomical
structures regulate almost every aspect of human and animal bodily function, ranging from movement,
breathing rate and appetite to emotion, memory and love. The brain shapes our thoughts, beliefs,
hopes, dreams, esthetic appreciations, and imaginations. It is our brain’s ability to perform these
functions that makes us human, and makes the process of understanding these systems central to
humanity as well as Carleton’s mission.
Neuroscientists strive for a deeper understanding of how the nerve cells develop, connect into
functional circuits, respond to stimuli in time- and circuit-dependent fashion, recover from
injury/insult, and die. To reach these goals, neuroscientists encompass a wide range of disciplines and
techniques in order to evaluate nervous system function at multiple levels of organization. One hopeful
outcome is to work collaboratively with the common goal of understanding the neural underpinnings
of thought and behavior with the possibility of shedding light on the causes of devastating neurological
disorders.
Our proposal for a new FTE is really quite simple. A new FTE in Neuroscience will strengthen the
Neuroscience concentration by creating a sustainable, more cogent curriculum that will illustrate the
diversity of questions and approaches used to understand neurodevelopment, neuroanatomy and
neurophysiology, and their relationships to behavior.
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Background
The Neuroscience concentration at Carleton started in 2007, stemming from an increase in student
requests for a Neuroscience special major. At the time, there were several reasons to favor a
concentration over a special major. First, by offering the concentration to complement a student’s
major, the students retained a home-base department where they could better establish a relationship
with faculty and fellow students. Those relationships may not develop as easily with special majors,
and therefore compromises an important aspect of their education at the college. Second, we felt that a
concentration allowed students to experience an important area of inquiry in science without unduly
directing them towards a professional choice that could be more appropriately made at a later stage in
their education. Third, the growing numbers of requests for a special major in neuroscience were
unevenly adding to the workload of a few faculty advisors.
The Neuroscience concentration currently includes required classes in Psychology (6 credits) and
Biology (12 credits), with 18 credits of electives selected from numerous courses across seven
departments and programs. Administrative structure for the concentration includes a director (1 course
credit leave every 3 years). Since its establishment, there have been an average of 13.6 Neuroscience
concentrators per year (see Appendix I).
Strengths
Over the eight years that the neuroscience concentration has been in existence, we have seen a steady
growth in popularity: neuroscience is now second only to biochemistry in number of concentrators.
We believe this is due to a couple of reasons. First, there seems to be more interest in interdisciplinary
science fields. Most traditional studies within neuroscience are truly situated between psychology and
biology. However, there are newly arising disciplines (e.g. neurophysics, neurolinguistics,
neuroeconomics) that further expand the array of possible connections among course offerings from
other departments. With the objective to have students explore these relationships, the concentration
requires students to sample from a large variety of courses outside their major. At the same time,
students maintain a home-base department, and thus are able to identify with a department and build
relationships with peers and faculty in their discipline.
Opportunities for improvement that support new Neuroscience FTE
Creating community and building foundational knowledge
Although allowing great flexibility, there are limitations to the current curriculum. The concentration
lacks the benefit of a clear focal starting point for our concentrators to create a community of peers and
establish a foundation in interdisciplinary inquiry at an early stage. The current Neuroscience faculty
feel that the current capstone seminar comes too late in the curriculum to form a community. Also,
high demand across majors for the Neuroscience core course, Neurobiology (BIOL386), has delayed
learning key biological foundations of neuroscience until after completion of electives. We have found
student preparation for this course varies greatly depending on the amount of background. A new
introductory level core course (i.e. Introduction to Neuroscience) designed for neuroscience would
serve two purposes: first, the course would provide the foundational knowledge and interdisciplinary
perspective necessary for greater appreciation of and preparation for upper-level courses; and second,
the course would help to develop a “neuroscience identity” among the students across majors and
departments. Identifying a new faculty member to design and implement this introductory course will
strengthen the Neuroscience curriculum without compromising the departmental duties of current
Neuroscience faculty. This faculty member will also provide additional courses to satisfy the
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concentration electives, relieving the high demand and long wait lists associated with current
Neuroscience electives (especially within the Psychology and Biology departments).
Broadening the bridge
In addition, the Carleton Neuroscience faculty is in discussion with the St. Olaf Neuroscience faculty
to design a Cornerstone experience for our concentrators. We plan to offer a series of evening
presentations by faculty from both schools to illustrate the diversity of questions, approaches, and
techniques used by neuroscientists to explore the relationships between brains and behavior. A new
Neuroscience faculty member will be invaluable in serving as a fresh communicator and bridge
between the two campuses and programs.
Strengthening neuroscience advising
Finally, this new faculty member would serve as a neuroscience advisor, mentoring students as they
select coursework and seek research opportunities to prepare them for neuroscience graduate programs.
Though this should not be the focus of our program, it is an expectation of some of our students that
could be satisfied with a designated faculty member who can adequately advise these students based
on dynamic graduate school opportunities and requirements.
If the faculty and the college are interested in a possible Neuroscience Major, then the addition of an
FTE and the added courses would be a minimal requirement to move forward.
Peer institutions
A look at neuroscience programs at our peer institutions reveals a wide range of programs and
approaches, many of which have dedicated neuroscience faculty (see Appendix II) and offer
introductory neuroscience courses as well as neuroscience research. This allows these programs to
offer numerous dedicated neuroscience courses, in some cases allowing for students to choose a track
within neuroscience (e.g. neurophysiology, behavioral or cognitive neuroscience, neuroeconomics)
Going Forward
Most of the Neuroscience Committee has been working together congenially for more than eight years.
We share a similar vision in terms of the potential growth of Neuroscience at Carleton. Our group
would be happy to advise and serve in the search, mentorship, and evaluation of a new Neuroscience
faculty member.
Summary of the goals, expectations and benefits of proposed tenure-track FTE
A new tenure track FTE in Neuroscience would address the following Carleton College objectives:
• To recognize the increasing demand for neuroscience education
•
To emphasize the importance of understanding the mechanisms and substrates of human and
non-human behavior as it applies to many disciplines
In addition, this FTE will have significant impact to interdisciplinary programs across the College:
• To alleviate the large enrollments in the introductory courses in both Psychology and Biology,
especially if our proposed new Introduction to Neuroscience course counts as an intro course in
both departments
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•
To reduce the enrollment pressures on upper-level course in the two departments by adding a
set of courses that could be offered as electives and cross-listed in each department
•
To establish a foundation that prepares to support a larger interdisciplinary “hub” program that
brings together the many spokes that exist across campus (e.g. biology, psychology, chemistry,
computer science, cognitive studies, philosophy, linguists, economics, and music).
An Example of a Possible Course Load for New FTE
• Introductory Neuroscience and lab (2.0)
•
Mid- or upper-level electives in area of specialty, with labs (2.0)
•
Neuroscience Capstone / Seminar (1.0) This seminar could be added to our proposed seminar
series (initiated with the cornerstone events involving Carleton, St.Olaf, and invited faculty, a
selected topics seminar, and the capstone) taken by all Neuroscience students during Fall and
Spring semesters during their junior and senior years. The selected topics and capstone would
involve presentation of recent important findings in Neuroscience by faculty, students, and
invited guest lecturers (e.g. graduate students at the U of M).
•
Independent scholarship incorporating student researchers
Benefit for Carleton students and faculty
The addition of a full-time neuroscience faculty member would:
• Allow us to offer an introductory level neuroscience course with lab that would provide the
foundation for upper-level neuroscience courses as well as introducing fundamental laboratory
techniques and approaches.
• Create additional research opportunities in neuroscience, ideally filling in gaps in our research
areas.
• Increase the number of electives available for concentrators
• Bolster the capstone experience, making it more cohesive and more reinforcing of the
coursework and community established early during the concentration
• Offer students a key contact person to provide advising for neuroscience-related careers and
grad programs
• Provide an independent neuroscience-focused perspective to the core neuroscience faculty
group
Sincerely,
Matthew S. Rand and Jennifer Wolff
Professors of Biology and Co-Directors of Neuroscience
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Appendix I.
Neuroscience concentrators over the years.
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Number of Neuroscience Concentrators
4
10
13
9
14
21
17
21
19 (so far)
Comparison of Neuroscience Concentrators (Percent of Total Number of Concentrators Across
Campus).
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Appendix II.
Neuroscience Comparisons with Peer Institutions: Presence of intro course(s), faculty
affiliations, number of dedicated courses, and independent research.
Carleton College (Neuroscience Concentration)
Intro course – no
Faculty: Bio – 3; Psych – 3; Neuro – 0
Dedicated Courses: 0
Independent Research – yes, but in Psych & Bio
Williams College (Neuroscience Program)
Intro course – yes
Faculty: Bio – 3; Psych – 4; Neuro – 1
Dedicated Courses: 13
Independent Research - yes
Amherst College (Neuroscience Major and Program)
Intro course – yes
Bio – 2 (+4 affiliated); Psych – 3; Neuro – coordinator and technician
Dedicated Courses: 3
Independent Research - yes
Swarthmore College (Interdisciplinary Special Major)
Intro course – no
Faculty: Hard to decipher
Dedicated Courses: no, very similar to what we currently have
Independent Research Pomona College (Major)
Intro course – yes, with lab
Faculty: Bio – 2; Psych – 1; Neuro – 4
Dedicated Courses: 6
Independent Research - yes
Bowdoin College (Major & Interdisciplinary Program ?)
Intro course – yes
Faculty: Bio – 2 w/co-affiliations; Psych – 2 w/co-affiliations; Neuro – 1 director
Dedicated Courses: 1, plus honors and independent studies
Independent Research - yes
Middlebury College (Major)
Intro course – yes
Faculty: Bio – 2; Psych – 3; Neuro – 3 co-affiliated (w/ bio & psych), 4 affiliated with other
departments
Dedicated Courses: 14, plus independent studies and thesis
Independent Research - yes
Wellesley College (Major with three tracts)
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Intro course – yes
Faculty: Bio – 0; Psych – 0; Neuro – 6 + 2 lab instructors
Dedicated Courses: 10
Independent Research - yes
Haverford College (Minor with Bryn Mawr)
Intro course – yes (in bio)
Faculty: Bio – 3; Psych – 5; Neuro – 0
Dedicated Courses: no, all housed in Bio, Psych, CS, and Ling
Independent Research - yes
Claremont McKenna College (Major)
Intro course – yes, 3
Faculty: Could not decipher
Dedicated Courses: 3 intros
Independent Research - yes
Vassar College (Neuroscience & Behavior Major)
Intro course – yes
Faculty: Could not decipher
Dedicated Courses: 6
Independent Research - yes
Davidson College (Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Major & Minor)
Intro course – they look like special majors
Faculty: Neuro – 3
Dedicated Courses: no, Independent Research - yes
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