Undergraduate Research Opportunity
Brown University Brain Science Program
Turning Thought into Action- the computations of planning skilled movements
An opportunity for independent research is available in my laboratory to study how the brain plans movement.
The project: How do we turn a mental plan into a skilled movement? We ask people to track a spot on a computer screen with hand motion, using a mouse or joystick. Although the spot appears to move randomly there is a hidden pattern embedded within. We want to know how this covert message is learned and what happens in the brain when mental plans replace visual cues to guide voluntary behavior. The first step in the project involves psychophysical studies- measures of how humans learn and perform these tasks. The second step is a brain imaging (fMRI) study to see where in the brain mental plans become actions.
We are looking for a highly motivated student to take a major role in these experiments. The project will require at least three semesters and one or more summers; a stipend is available during the summer. The work should lead to an honors thesis. Interested students should have good computer and mathematical skills, as well as some neuroscience background.
Please submit a lab application form to John_Donoghue@brown.edu http://neuroscience.brown.edu/DonoghueLab/main.html