Specialization Spotlight: Neuroscience

What‘s your year in school, specialization, and position?

Barbara Liu: I am a third-year specializing in Neuroscience. I am also the Food and Event coordinator for CSSA.

What’s a fun fact about you?

BL: My math teacher in middle school thought I was a boy for a whole year.

What got you into Cognitive Science and your specialization?

BL: So, I took AP psychology during high school and the most interesting chapter to me was Neuroscience. I read a book called ‘Brain Facts’, which got me more interested. When I was choosing my major, I actually applied for Neuroscience and Physiology in the Biology department. Then, before I actually came here, I filled another application and changed my major to Cognitive Science.

What‘s’ the most important thing you have learned in this field?

BL: Because this is only my third year, I’m still like learning and trying to understand as well as memorize all of the basic knowledge of neuroscience. Beyond that, I want to know more about how to conduct research which is what I’m trying to do in my systems neuroscience lab.

What COGS classes did you find the most useful?

BL: I would say the COGS 107 series was very useful. It was really fundamental to understand the basics of neuroscience.

What’s your favorite COGS class and why?

BL: All of the courses in the COGS 107 series because I learned a lot from those courses.

Who‘s your favorite COGS professor?

BL: Professor Nitz in COGS 107B.

What did you do last summer?

BL: I was taking two summer sessions and volunteering in 2 labs.

Are you involved in any research or other activities on campus?

BL: I am working in Professor Nitz’s system neuroscience lab and study spatial cognition in rats. When I first came here, I cold emailed professors who conduct research in neuroscience and Professor Nitz was the only one who responded.

What advice do you have for first years and people starting in the specialization or cognitive science in general?

BL: I would recommend people to take COGS 17 and see if whether or not you like it. If you really like it, you should continue and take the 107 series.

What’s your favorite part of CSSA?

BL: I really like the board members this year because everyone is really active and engaged in like putting together events and making things happen.

What would you do differently if you could go back in time?

BL: Probably study harder during high school. There is not really something that I would change about my past.

What are your future plans after graduation?

BL: I don’t know when I will graduate yet but I definitely want to go to grad school.