July 29, 2013

New neuroscience minor engages students across disciplines

Drawing together biology, chemistry, psychology, mathematics, and sociology, neuroscience is a field between many disciplines. Its researchers explore complex, diverse questions—such as how the brain communicates chemically and how individuals communicate verbally. In the fall of 2013, this cutting-edge field comes to Lewis & Clark.

Drawing together biology, chemistry, psychology, mathematics, and sociology, neuroscience is a field between many disciplines. Its researchers explore complex, diverse questions—such as how the brain communicates chemically and how individuals communicate verbally. In the fall of 2013, this cutting-edge field comes to Lewis & Clark.

Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences recently approved a new neuroscience minor, with the goal of promoting interdisciplinary and collaborative scholarship.

“Students now have the opportunity to explore the field of neuroscience in a structured, challenging, and satisfying way at Lewis & Clark, and to receive recognition for their interests and efforts,” said Tamily Weissman-Unni, assistant professor of biology. “It will give students a strong background to prepare them for graduate or other professional programs.”

Weissman-Unni and Assistant Professor of Psychology Todd Watson envision students using the neuroscience minor as a way to explore other fields and achieve academic goals without the stress of double majoring. The neuroscience minor allows students to explore phenomena from a wide variety of perspectives and to work with students and faculty from other fields of study.

“The students and faculty here are very enthusiastic about neuroscience and have been working toward developing a minor for several years,” said Watson. “The inclusive, interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience very much fits with the overall ethic of a liberal arts institution like Lewis & Clark.”

Neuroscience at Lewis & Clark

Zibby Pillote ’14 contributed to this story.