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Undergraduate Studies in Cognitive Science. Fall 2011. News. We had our first two undergraduate COGS majors graduating this spring! New professor Alicia Walf teaches various neuroscience courses, dramatically expanding our neuroscience offerings
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News • We had our first two undergraduate COGS majors graduating this spring! • New professor Alicia Walf teaches various neuroscience courses, dramatically expanding our neuroscience offerings • Professor Wayne Gray receives Humboldt Research Award to study at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin in Spring 2012
Curriculum for BS in Cognitive Science Basic Math /Science Calc. I + II, Discrete Structures or Diff. Eq. Comp Sci I, Data Structures, Intro to Algorithms Intro to Biology 10 core courses: Minds & Machines Introduction to Cognitive Science Introduction to Logic Experimental Methods and Statistics Cognitive Psychology Behavioral Neuroscience / Cognitive Neuroscience Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Cognitive Modeling / Programming for AI and Cog Sci Sensation and Perception / Structure of Language Phil of AI / Knowledge and Rationality / Metaphysics & Consciousness 2 Electives Cog Sci related courses from PHIL, PSYC, CSCI, and a few others Undergraduate Thesis
Possible Dual Majors COGS / CSCI COGS / MATH COGS / GSAS COGS / ITWS COGS / PSYC COGS / PHIL COGS / CSYS (very tight, but can be done!) COGS / PHYS? COGS / COMM? COGS / BIOL?? COGS / BMED??
Other Popular Dual Majors • CSCI / PSYC • CSCI / PHIL • MATH / PSYC • MATH / PHIL
Latest Numbers • 38 COGS majors • By year: • 5 seniors • 14 juniors • 14 sophomores • 5 freshmen • By major: • COGS: 16 • COGS/CSCI: 14 • COGS/GSAS: 3 • Other COGS duals: 5 (PSYC, BMED, CSYS, PHYS)
Minors • We now have a Cognitive Science minor: • Introduction to Cognitive Science • Plus 3 more courses • Possible future minors we’re thinking of: • Cognitive Technology (AI, Cognitive Robotics) • Cognitive Engineering (Cognitive Modeling) • Remember we do have Cog Sci related minors: • PSYC: minor in Cognition • PHIL: minor in Logic, Computation, and Mind
Other Concentrations and Programs • GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration • Contact: Elizabeth Large • ITWS has Cognitive Science track (as well as Psychology track) • Contact: Bram van Heuveln • MGMT: 5 year Masters in Management in Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship program (Cognitive Science track) • Contact: Jeff Durgee • COGS: 5 year Co-Terminal (M.S. and B.S.) and 7 year Co-Terminal (PhD and S.B) degree programs • Contact: Brett Fajen
Minds & Machines Program • In the past, the Minds & Machines program served as an undergraduate Cognitive Science program in the absence of such • Now that we have an official Cognitive Science undergraduate degree, we will re-envision this program and bring it back to its original (and more narrow) goals. • In particular, bring the ‘Machines’ part back in focus. • Minds & Machines Program in “Cognitive Technology”: • Artificial Intelligence • Cognitive Robotics • Synthetic Characters
Minds & Machines (Cont’d) • Students “joining” the “program” will be expected/encouraged to: • take certain specific courses • participate in undergraduate research • work in relevant lab • TA for relevant courses • Self-study program • In groups, students set goal for semester (project, programming language/technique) and teach each other
Stanford Online AI Course • Dr. Sebastian Thrun (author of Probabilistic Robotics) and Dr. Peter Norvig (co-author of Artificial Intelligence, A Modern Approach; the textbook for the course) teach a free online course on Artificial Intelligence • Oct. 10 – Dec. 16 (register before Oct. 10) • Basic Track: follow lectures and take quizzes • Advanced Track: lectures, quizzes, midterm (Nov. 19/20), and final (Dec. 17/18) • Get certificate of completion • http://www.ai-class.com/
Wednesday Issues in Cognitive Science Seminar • It is possible for undergraduates to receive 1 credit through the Issues in Cognitive Science Lecture Series: • Write 1 page response paper about talk for 6 talks of your choice • Register for “Issues in Cognitive Science” at 400 level • Restricted to COGS majors or dual majors with PHIL or PSYC
External SpeakersThis Semester • August 31, Jim Davies, Carleton University • September 14, William Rapaport, SUNY Buffalo • September 21, Stephen Pink, Dartmouth • September 28, Chris Eliasmith, U. of Waterloo • October 19, James Moor, Dartmouth • December 7, Duncam Brumby, University College London • All other talks this semester are by COGS graduate students • For a complete schedule of speakers go to Speaker Series off of Cognitive Science department home page • If you think of a potential speaker, let me know!
Undergraduate Research • Cog Sci students are strongly encouraged to do hands-on research • Undergraduate Research Program (URP) • http://www.rpi.edu/dept/urp • Fill out URP form: • You have to write a 500 word proposal! • for course credit (deadline: 9/12) • Also fill out an Independent Study/URP Registration form • for $ (deadline: 9/16) • Research can be used for Senior Thesis
Overview Research Labs, Groups, and Projects • Selmer Bringsjord, RAIR lab • Mei Si, Dr. Mei Si’s lab • Nick Wilson, Cognitive Architecture Lab • Brett Fajen, PandAlab • John Lindstedt, CogWorks Lab • Bram van Heuveln, LEGUP project
Paperwork • Declare or add Cognitive Science Major • Fill out Change of Major form • Advisor: Bram van Heuveln • Curriculum Coordinator: Betty Osganian (Carnegie 108) • 1 credit for lectures • Fill out Independent Study form • 200/400 PHIL/PSYC “Issues in Cognitive Science” • Senior Thesis/Capstone Project • Find thesis advisor • Fill out Thesis Registration form • URP • Fill out URP form • For credit: • Fill out Independent Study form as well • Credits to be determined by project advisor • Deadline: course add deadline: Monday, 9/12 • For $: • Find faculty member with $! • Deadline: 9/16