The Neuroscience Department at Lake Forest College offers an interdisciplinary major and minor and prepares its students for a diverse range of professional careers through its curriculum, and focus on research, communication skills, and internships. Combining the rigorous study of psychology with biology, few subjects integrate the sciences and connect it with humanities and social sciences better than neuroscience, one of the fastest growing areas in science. Neuroscience students pursue independent original research with faculty on topics as diverse as neural plasticity, human memory, applied cognitive psychology, child development, evolution of animal behavior, neurodegenerative disease, cellular physiology, and the genetics of organ development. While our interdisciplinary training provides an excellent background for launching into the graduate health professions, including medical school, it also prepares graduates for diverse scientific and other professions. Our students have the opportunity to be selected to the national neuroscience honorary Nu Rho Psi. Students enjoy a strong focus on critical writing and persuasive communication by participating in the award-winning student research journal EUKARYON. The student organization SYNAPSE fosters a vibrant student and faculty community focused on public education and outreach on neuroscience issues. Many neuroscience majors study abroad at the University of Auckland in New Zealand (where they take neuroscience courses and can engage in neuroscience research), or in Tanzania or Costa Rica . Some pursue off-campus study in Chicago or conduct research at nearby Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, engage in community outreach, and partner with North Chicago elementary schools for K-6 education. For their scholarship and educational outreach activities, neuroscience majors regularly receive recognition from professional societies, at the local and national level and become published scholars. Our majors and minors annually interact with scientific professionals and the research community at the Chicago Society for Neuroscience conference. In 2011-2013 alone, they have won research prizes at three Chicago area conferences and the 2011 Brain Awareness Week Award from the international Society for Neuroscience (SfN).
