Student government awarded $2,000 to Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology, to fund their trip to the Dynamical Neuroscience Conferences in New Orleans this November. The Student Senate passed this generous bill authored by Theodore Zanto, a member of Psi Chi.
In a PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of the Senate meeting, Zanto showed the Senate the types of research the students will be presenting at the conference and explained the importance of attending. Initially, Zanto asked for $1,865 to fund the trip, but the bill was amended to grant $2,000 to help cover travel and other expenses.
The Society for Neuroscience Conference is the largest gathering of neuroscientists from around the world, and expects 25,000 or more scientists.
“This is basically the ‘who’s-who’ in neuroscience. We need to be there because some of the people that are there are from the National Institute of Mental Health.” Zanto said.
It is also the most important conference in the field, showcasing new scientific developments.
The FAU graduate students who are attending will be presenting their own research and creating professional contacts with other scientists in the field. The students use dynamic mathematical models and MRI scans to determine what parts of the brain are active and how the brain responds to various external stimuli.
The graduate students involved are all conducting their research at the Center for Complex Systems, which is located at the Northern end of the Boca Raton campus.
As Zanto stated towards the end of his presentation, “When I was planning graduate school, I didn’t look at any other school in Florida.”
FAU’s neuroscience graduate program is known as one of the best in the world.