Ph.D. in Neuroscience 

Robbin Wood B.S. in Biology & Music Duke University Although my research experience began at the cellular and molecular level, my goal was to progress to a more cognitive approach.  I especially wanted to study how the human brain learns and processes music.  As an undergraduate, I participated in Duke Univeristy's Exploring the Mind program and then double majored in biology (with a concentration in neuroscience) and music.  When the time came to choose a graduate school, I decided on Georgetown?s Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (IPN).  I was drawn not only due to the interest of several IPN faculty members in music perception, but also to the program?s interdisciplinary approach, which encourages us to integrate knowledge from a wide variety of fields. Through our two years of coursework, we learn not only facts, but also how to think critically about research, write and review grants, and overcome a number of issues that we may face during our scientific careers.  We have many opportunities to attend lectures by faculty members in the IPN and from other universities and research institutes.  In addition, we are also able to present our own research to faculty and students at Georgetown and at national and international conferences.  I have achieved my goal of progressing to a cognitive approach to my research and am now studying how humans perceive music and language with respect to different types of memory.   So far, Georgetown?s IPN has been a truly rewarding experience for me.

Laura Chamberlain Gehl B.A. in Psychology Yale University Current NSF Predoctoral Fellowship Recipient For me, a psychology major with a strong interest in biology, an ?interdisciplinary? neuroscience program seemed like a perfect fit. Since arriving at Georgetown, I have been impressed by the truly interdisciplinary nature of the IPN. Not only did our first-year coursework cover both the molecular and the systems aspects of neuroscience, but the IPN faculty come from a plethora of different departments--from psychology to biology to pediatrics to pharmacology to radiology and more. Most students do rotations in two or three different departments, and some students even do their thesis research with co-mentors in two different departments. As I have learned about many fields within the broader field of neuroscience and formed a picture of the type of research I want to pursue, I have felt very lucky to be part of this genuinely interdisciplinary program.

Laila Zai B.S. in Neurobiology University of Virginia I graduated from UVA in ?98with a BS in Neurobiology.  I loved my major, and wanted to dive deeper into it before committing to one sub-field.  I applied to several graduate Neuroscience programs including Georgetown University's Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, which was highly recommended to me by the chair of UVA?s Neuroscience Department.  Once I began the interview process, I understood why Dr. Steward was so impressed by Georgetown. The faculty were friendly, knowledgeable, and most importantly, dedicated mentors.  This positive attitude towards training was well reflected in the students, who were friendly, helpful, and supportive, and had a great sense of community.  These traits became increasingly important as I began my graduate experience.  My mentors combined rigorous and challenging classes with a nurturing environment, giving me the creativity, diligence, and confidence I needed to become a successful scientist.  I have had hands-on experience with skills to which most graduate students are not exposed, qualifying my for highly competitive jobs in academia.  My search for post-doctoral fellowships has been a very positive experience, where I have had my choice of any position or program in the country.  While dedication and talent play a large role in one?s accomplishments, I know much of my success is due to my well rounded education and training.

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