About Us:

Behavioral neuroscience explores the role of the nervous system in normal and abnormal behavior, thought, and emotion. This major emphasizes an understanding of nervous system structure and function from the molecular/cellular level to the systems level. For example, behavioral neuroscientists study the neurobiological basis of normal learning and memory, psychiatric illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, and drug abuse and neurological illnesses such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

“Stay up for Student Research” Campaign

Your gift to the Behavioral Neuroscience program will help students pursue undergraduate research opportunities that are essential in preparing them for post graduate employment and graduate school. Because of support from donors like you, last year the BNS program was able to raise $10,000 to support undergraduate research opportunities.  This year, the BNS program will once again “Stay Up For Student Research” on the eve of June 1st (May 31st) to fundraise for undergraduate research opportunities. Our goal is to meet or exceed last year’s accomplishment, and raise at least $10,000 to support undergraduate research opportunities and continue the legacy of sending students to conferences and making undergraduate research accessible.

Student Impact:

Wesley Solem, Junior, Research Assistant and HDSA Award Recipient, Neurobiology of Huntington’s Disease Lab

“When I first became involved with Jeff Carroll’s lab two years ago, I was volunteering every spare moment I could find to help in the lab’s research. Thanks to donations made to WWU’s Behavioral Neuroscience Department during last year’s “Give Day,” I now get paid for the work that I do in the lab. That opportunity is rare, and I am incredibly grateful for it. I am a non-resident student responsible for my own tuition, and for my first few years as a student I was often so busy juggling schoolwork and several part-time jobs that I was unable to be in the lab as much as I would have liked. Getting paid for this work and having the chance to open up my schedule to experience and take part in professional research is a dream come true. This is especially important to me as I begin preparation for application processes to graduate school programs. Next year will be my last undergraduate academic year at WWU, and it will be highlighted by by the experience and knowledge I’ve gained in the Carroll Lab. I’m extremely excited and honored to announce that the research project I completed for Jeff Carroll was chosen out of a nationwide pool of applicants for the Donald A. King Summer Research Fellowship by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. This will provide a $4,000 stipend, funding for me to focus on this research full-time over the summer. I must give thanks not only to HDSA, but also again for the donations made to the Behavioral Neuroscience department for Give Day. Those donations helped allow me to spend more of my time in the Carroll Lab generating the pilot data for this research. One wonderful opportunity helped open the door to another, and I can’t believe it.”