Media, Awards, Announcements

A new paper by Dr. Barker and collaborators from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Stanford, and the University of Colorado at Boulder was recently published in cell reports. The work uses intersectional genetics to specifically target the recently discovered dualGABA-glutamate neurons in the brain's ventral tegmental area. The findings of the paper provide insights into how these neurons participate in the processing of reward and aversion.

The Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP) will welcome its 2020-2022 cohort on August 1, 2020. With the addition of 123 scholars who accepted, the total current cohort (including 2019-2021) now encompasses 215 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Combined with Program’s past scholars (dating back to 1981), the NSP alumni network now encompasses nearly 1,200 underrepresented neuroscience researchers at all career stages! Keith Perkins of the Psychology Department is the only student from Rutgers

Congratulations to Elena Rotondo, M.S., for publishing her research on learning-induced neurophysiological plasticity in the auditory system in LEARNING & MEMORY (August 2020 issue). The findings show that an epigenetic regulator of histone acetylation can make memories more detailed with sensory information. The effects are correlated with extraordinary neurophysiological plasticity in both the auditory cortex and the subcortical auditory system. This is her first publication from the

 Nurturing Students’ Character is an easy-to-use guide to incorporating social-emotional and character development (SECD) into your teaching practice. The links are clear—elementary and middle school students have better odds of academic success if you nurture their social and emotional skills. Drawing on broad field experience and the latest research, this book offers intuitive techniques for infusing your everyday teaching and classroom management with SECD opportunities. With topics ranging from

Congratulations, Nick! You survived all the trials of graduate school (and then some). Your research into the neural mechanisms of substance use disorder was a tour de force, which has prepared you for the rigors of postdoctoral research at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore. The Department wishes you and your wife Sarah a very happy future.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT, BONITA!

After nearly three decades of service at Rutgers University and over twenty years in the Psychology Department, we are happy to say congratulations to Bonita Holt-Griffith on her well-deserved retirement. 

As the undergraduate student advisor, you have been the face of the department to thousands of students each year. You have touched a multitude of our students in so many positive ways. For many undergraduate students, you have been a guiding light to

We are very pleased to announce that Dr. John McGann, Professor of the Psychology Department has been named the Faculty Director of Rutgers' Center of Cognitive Science. We offer a huge congratulations to Dr. McGann for this achievement and send him warm wishes on his journey as the new Faculty Director of RUCCS! 

Psychology Department's Dr. John Aiello recently appeared on the History Channel in a series called "The United Stats of America." In the humoring series, Dr. Aiello provides some insight into personal distancing. Need some help grasping the concept of social distancing? Check out the entire segment here. 

Dr. Maurice Elias, is the director of the Rutgers University Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab, which has worked over the past three decades to promote research, policy, and practice to benefit schools nationally and internationally. Recently, Dr. Elias provided some meaningful research and advice with the NJEA to help parent navigate through COVID-19. Check out the entire article here.

Dr. Bieszczad (BSN) hosts a NJ/NY-wide undergraduate research conference online called AXON 2020, co-organized by Nu Rho Psi Beta in NJ, Rutgers University’s local chapter of the National Honors Society in neuroscience. Visit https://axon.myportfolio.com for details.