Undergraduate Studies in Cognitive Science Fall 2015

News We had 6 graduating cognitive science majors last spring: –2 straight COGS –3 COGS/CSCI duals –1 COGS/GSAS dual We have 7 incoming COGS freshmen –Largest incoming cohort so far –… and I already have 1 more declared through Minds and Machines!

Latest Numbers 48 COGS majors (34 male, 14 female) By year: –18 seniors –9 juniors –14 sophomores –7 freshmen By major: –COGS: 22 –COGS/CSCI: 18 –COGS/GSAS: 2 –Other duals: 6 (PSYC,BIOL,CSYS,DIS,STS)

Curriculum

Curriculum for BS in Cognitive Science (2013+) Basic Math /Science –Calc. I + II –Comp Sci I, Data Structures, FOCS, Intro to Algorithms –Intro to Biology 10 core courses: –Minds & Machines / Philosophy of Science –Introduction to Cognitive Science –Introduction to Logic –Experimental Methods and Statistics –Cognitive Psychology –Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience –Introduction to Artificial Intelligence –Cognitive Modeling / Programming for AI and Cog Sci –Sensation and Perception –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 / PSYC COGS / PHIL COGS / ITWS COGS / BIOL COGS / BMED COGS / CSYS (very tight, but can be done!) COGS / PHYS? COGS / COMM?

Minors Cognitive Science minor: –Introduction to Cognitive Science –Plus 3 more courses (Minds and Machines counts) Possible future minors: –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 (takes only 1 extra course in addition to COGS courses!)

Other Concentrations and Programs GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration –Contact: Ralph Noble 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: Wayne Gray

Online Courses Udacity (~50 courses, mostly CSCI, self-paced)Udacity –Introduction to AI –Artificial Intelligence for Robotics Coursera (400+ courses; wide variety)Coursera –Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, Computational Neuroscience, Natural Language Processing, etc. EdX (~70 courses, various fields)EdX I can give 1-2 credits Independent Study for successful completion of these courses (Add Deadline: Monday, 9/14)

Study Abroad RPI has a Study Abroad agreement with the University of Sussex, that has an excellent Cognitive Science Program Other students have gone to University of Groningen and University of Nijmegen, both in the Netherlands Study Abroad Informational Sessions: –Thursday, September 3 at 10am and 12noon –Tuesday, September 15 at 12noon –Wednesday, September 23 at 10am and 2pm –All sessions in Academy Hall, room 3267

Advising

There are several people that can help you: –Faculty Advisor/Mentor Helps with general direction of your studies –Keeps you on track; Suggests courses based on your interests Mandatory Student-Advisor Meeting (SAM) –Staff Advisor: Betty Osganian, Sage 4301 Helps with ‘day-to-day’ issues –Helps get you into courses; get forms signed; can tell you what courses you still need to graduate –Undergraduate Program Director: Bram van Heuveln All of the above

Talks

EMPAC Talk: The Machine is the Message EMPAC Theater Thursday, October 22 7pm Researcher and composer Rob Hamilton explores the converging spaces between sound, music, and interaction. His research focuses on the cognitive implications of sonified musical gesture and motion and the role of perceived space in the creation and enjoyment of sound and music.

Minds and Machines Thursday Night Lectures All lectures 7-8:20pm in Sage 3303 Open to the Public! Full schedule of lecturesschedule of lectures October 29: Moral Robots –Dr. Selmer Bringsjord will have a philosophical discussion on how to ensure that robots behave morally November 5: RPI Watson Research –Graduate student Simon Ellis will talk about Watson, RPI’s involvement with Watson, and ‘Cognitive Computing’ November 12: Animal Cognition –Post-Doctoral Student Oliver Layton discusses various forms of animal cognition

Issues in Cognitive Science September 9, Recorded talk of Steven Pinker, Linguistics, Harvard –“The Curse of Knowledge” September 16, Rick Dale, Cognitive and Information Sciences, UC Merced –Behavioral explanations of Linguistic Performance September 30, Susan Eppstein, Computer Science, CUNY and Hunter –Toward Cognitively Plausible Robot Navigation October 7, Lael Schooler, Psychology, Syracuse University –Simple Heuristics for Decision-making October 21, Todd Gureckis, Cognition and Perception, New York University –Self-Directed Learning For a complete schedule of speakers go to Speaker Series off of Cognitive Science department home pageSpeaker Series

1 Credit for Issues in Cognitive Science 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 COGS “Issues in Cognitive Science” at 200 (for freshmen) or 400 level –Restricted to COGS majors or dual majors with PHIL or PSYC

Research

Undergraduate Research Cog Sci students are strongly encouraged to do hands-on research Undergraduate Research Program (URP) – –Fill out URP form:URP form You have to write a 500 word proposal! for course credit (deadline: 9/14) –Also fill out an Independent Study/URP Registration formIndependent Study/URP Registration form for $ (deadline: 9/18) Research can be used for Senior Thesis

Overview Research Labs CogWorks Lab –led by Dr. Wayne Gray –Graduate Students: John Lindstedt Catherine Sibert Ryan Hope Matthew Sangster Language Endowed Intelligent Agents (LEIA) Lab –Led by Dr. Marjorie McShane and Dr. Sergei Nirenburg Social Interaction (SI) Lab (slides)Social Interaction (SI) Labslides –Led by Dr. Mei Si All Cognitive Research Labs All Cognitive Science Research Areas

Paperwork Declare or add Cognitive Science Major –Fill out Change of Major formChange of Major form –Advisor: ??? –Curriculum Coordinator: Betty Osganian (Sage 4301) 1 credit for lectures –Fill out Independent Study formIndependent Study form 200/400 COGS “Issues in Cognitive Science” URP –Fill out URP formURP form –For credit: Fill out Independent Study form as wellIndependent Study form Credits to be determined by project advisor Deadline: course add deadline: Monday, 9/14 –For $: Find faculty member with $! Deadline: Friday, 9/18