The Cognition and Neural Systems Program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona offers extensive opportunities for those interested in pursuing the study of cognitive, computational and neurophysiological principles underlying human and animal behavior (e.g., perception, emotion, learning and memory, language, movement and spatial orientation).

The curriculum includes collaboration with faculty members on cutting-edge scientific research and participation in seminars and lecture courses that provide a thorough background in current and classic research and theory.

This is a new program, formed by a merger between the Cognitive Psychology Program and the Cognition and Neural Systems Program, which reflects the steadily increasing overlap in research interests of these fields.  Faculty expertise and research interests span levels of analysis ranging from molecular, cellular and systems neuroscience to the highest cognitive processes in humans. State-of-the-art equipment and facilities are available for both human and animal experimentation and computational modeling.

 Focus.  An interactive, multidisciplinary approach is encouraged, including behavioral analysis, mathematical and computer modeling, neurophysiological, neurochemical, and neuroimaging techniques.  Areas of specialization include the study of information encoding and retrieval at the level of neuronal populations, visual cognition, learning and memory,  language, language development and alterations in cognitive functions and their neural substrates that occur in early development, aging, brain damage, and psychopathology.

 Purpose.  To train students to conduct research in these and other areas of cognitive, computational and systems neuroscience, to master modern methods in the field, and to think critically about fundamental issues relating mind and brain. Students are strongly encouraged to get experience working in more than one laboratory.

Colloquia and Seminars

The University of Arizona attracts numerous speakers and visiting scholars each year. The Psychology Colloquium Series is extensive, each year bringing in approximately 16 leading researchers from a broad range of disciplines within psychology. A Cognitive Science Brown Bag Series meets weekly, and there are regular colloquia from other departments, such as Linguistics and Philosophy, which also bring in notable speakers.

Researchers who have visited and spoken recently include: Lawrence Barsalou, Kathryn Bock, Melissa Bowerman, Alfonso Caramazza, James Enns, Lila Gleitman, Ray Jackendoff, Terry Jernigan, John Jonides, Philip Kellman, Philip Kitcher, Michael Kubovy, Nikos Logothetis, Ellen Markman, William Marslen-Wilson, Jay McClelland, Douglas Medin, Morris Moscovitch, Steven Pinker, Mary Potter, Daniel Povinelli, V.S. Ramachandran, Robert Remez, Arthur Shimamura, Myrna Schwartz, Barbara Tversky, Lorraine Tyler, and Elizabeth Warrington.

Current schedule of Colloquia.