Eight Ways We All Can Help to Improve Gender Diversity

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Eight Ways We All Can Help to Improve Gender Diversity

Women and academia, why does this combination seem to be so challenging? Why do so few women make it to faculty positions, regardless of all the recent campaigns and awareness-raising and the high representation of women at undergraduate and graduate levels? Is it the nature of the scientific world with its high pressure to continuously perform exceptionally? Or are we maybe expecting too much? Is changing this gender imbalance just a gradual and slow process and do we need to just wait a bit longer?

Alternatively, could this imbalance be related to something that is engraved in all of us, a tough bias that unconsciously affects our reasoning? And if so, is there anything we can do about it?

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Split Brains: Why disconnected hemispheres won't be sending independent emails

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Split Brains: Why disconnected hemispheres won't be sending independent emails

In this issue of Ask a Neuroscientist, Jennifer Esch discusses the language abilities of the independent left and right hemispheres of split brain patients. She tells us why it's extremely unlikely that split brain patients would be able to type a separate email from each hemisphere, and furthermore, why it's unlikely those patients would be able to use a keyboard in the first place. 

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Neurotalk S2E13 Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell & elephant communication

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In this exciting new episode of Neurotalk, we speak with Caitlin O'Connell Rodwell about working with elephants, elephant communication, women in science, and more!

This week on Neurotalk, we speak with Caitlin O'Connell Rodwell about working with elephants, elephant communication, women in science, and more! Dr. O'Connell-Rodwell is an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at Stanford University.

Dr. O’Connell-Rodwell is an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at Stanford University.

Neurotalk S2E12 Kamil Ugurbil: Connectomes & the birth of fMRI

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This week on the Neurotalk podcast, we speak with Kamil Ugurbil about his interesting path into neuroscience, his deep involvement with the development of fMRI, a functional human connectome, and more!

This week on the Neurotalk podcast, we speak with Kamil Ugurbil about his interesting path into neuroscience, his deep involvement with the development of fMRI, how he runs his large 100+ group, and more! Dr. Ugurbil is the Director of the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair Professor in the Departments of Radiology, Neuroscience, and Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Ugurbil is the Director of the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, 
and McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair Professor in the Departments of Radiology, Neuroscience, and Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

The Neurodiversity of Sherlock

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The Neurodiversity of Sherlock

OK I admit it.  I am an obsessive fan of the BBC’s Sherlock series.  As a neuroscientist I’m in love with breaking down complex questions with logic, and indulging ineach episode gives me the opportunity to do so late into the evening.  The series is a modern-day reinterpretation of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, and revolves around the extremely intelligent “consulting detective” Sherlock Holmes and his partner John Watson, who together attempt to solve otherwise unsolvable crimes.  

I especially find the way the writers define each character particularly fascinating..  Where Sherlock obsesses over his work for the sake of solving each mystery, John often focuses his attention on solving each case to benefit those involved.  The writers present seeming personality dichotomies that surprisingly coalesce and complement one another. I am particularly intrigued by the way the main characters construct and develop their own mental states over the course of the series. 

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Ask a Neuroscientist: Which neuroscience textbooks do we recommend?

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Ask a Neuroscientist: Which neuroscience textbooks do we recommend?

What are the best introductory neuroscience books? Which ones would we recommend for the enterprising high school student, interested in learning about Neuroscience and it's principles? I list 4 textbooks and one non-fiction book, then (reminded that textbooks are really expensive), I add on an online textbook and an expanded list of non-fiction books. 

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Resolve

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Resolve

It’s that time of year again, folks. As the Labrador puppy of hope runs headlong toward the closed glass door of inevitability, millions of otherwise rational adults indulge in a practice commonly referred to as “making new year’s resolutions”. Despite initial confidence, most participants will fail to maintain their resolutions. Following on from David’s piece on new year’s day, I’d like to take this opportunity to provide much-needed moral support (“outside interference”?) to those who are looking to beat the odds and stick to their resolutions. And what better way to provide incentive than by giving examples of how three common new year’s resolutions can positively affect your brain and your immune system.

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PhDs in Press: A plethora of papers!

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PhDs in Press: A plethora of papers!

After a bit of a hiatus, PhDs in Press is back! Quite a few (read: 12) of our comrades in the Stanford Neurosciences Program have published in the last 6 months, both as first authors, and nth authors.

Head below the fold for titles and links to papers authored by: Cora Ames, Matt Figley, the tag-team of Corbett Bennet and Sergio Arroyo, David Kastner, Ryan Squire, Georgia Panagiotakos, George Sebastià Vidal Pérez-Treviño, Matt Sacchet, William Joo, Yvette Fisher, Gregor Bieri and Kira Mosher.

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