The Neurobiology of Hearing provides an introduction to the auditory system and current research in auditory neuroscience. This field is a microcosm of neuroscience, in general, and the interdisciplinary approach embodied by Neuroscience. Students will develop a detailed understanding of the peripheral and central auditory system and the neurobiological basis of sound processing. The course is taught by a faculty drawn from UCONN at the Health Center and Storrs, the Institute for Neuroscience at University of Salamanca, Johns Hopkins Medical School, and guest lectures who in past years have come from the MRC in the United Kingdom and University of Pittsburgh. The diverse areas of expertise of the faculty guarantees that the students will be exposed to different aspects of auditory research and Neuroscience including synaptic physiology, neural circuitry, acoustics, auditory physiology, and behavior. The diversity also guarantees that the student will not be bored by a single professor. Students will be assessed on their classroom participation, papers, and critiques of papers. Students will receive grades based on four 1+ page papers in which they propose a hypothesis-driven experiment directly related to previous lectures in the course. Students also will be graded on their critique a paper by another student each week. There will be student presentations of research proposals the final week.
            The Neurobiology of Hearing is part of the Neuroscience Study Abroad Program in Salamanca Spain, and it is taught in the summer in Spain. This course is for graduate students in Neuroscience and Hearing Research and upper level undergraduate students with majors in biology, neurobiology, audiology, biomedical engineering, or other premedical majors.
            For more information on this course see: http://neurobiologyhearing.uchc.edu/For more information on the study abroad program see: http://neuroabroad.uchc.edu/

Instructor

D. Oliver, 1-860-679-2241, doliver@neuron.uchc.edu;

Dates

May 21, 2012 to June 22, 2012 -- Five weeks.

Day/Time

Mon-Thurs, 2hr/day, 40 hr total, 12-2pm
Paper due Wednesday; critique due Thursday.

Location

Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y Leon, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, SPAIN

Credits

Three credits. Undergraduate students (Honors and non-Honors students) with a grade of B- or above receive Honors credit.

Enrollment

15 or more students must be enrolled in the study abroad program

Permission

Acceptance into the study abroad program is required. Registration is for Summer 2012

Prerequisites
  • Graduate Students: Introductory Neuroscience (e.g., PNB 5301 -Fundamentals of Neurobiology, MEDS 5372- Cell and Molecular Neuroscience, MEDS 5371-Systems Neuroscience.)
  • Undergraduate Students: Introductory Neuroscience (e.g., PNB 3251 - Biology of the Brain or the equivalent at another university) and/or courses in physiological psychology, sensation and perception, or communication science. Some combination of these prerequisites is preferred.

Recommended Texts
  • Auditory Neuroscience: Making Sense of Sound [Hardcover] Jan Schnupp (Author), Israel Nelken (Author), Andrew J King (Author)  Publisher: The MIT Press; 1 edition (November 12, 2010) ISBN-10: 026211318X;  ISBN-13: 978-0262113182; Kindle edition available.
  • Oxford Handbook of Auditory Science The Ear, The Auditory Brain, Hearing (3 volume pack) [Hardcover] David Moore (Author), Paul Fuchs (Author), Alan Palmer (Author), Adrian Rees (Author), Christopher Plack (Author) ISBN-10: 019958141X | ISBN-13: 978-0199581412 | Publication Date: March 12, 2010 | Edition: 1; Volume 1: The Ear (edited by Paul Fuchs); Volume 2: The Auditory Brain (edited by Alan Palmer and Adrian Rees); Volume 3: Hearing (edited by Chris Plack)

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION:
To take this course, enroll in the UCONN Neuroscience in Salamanca Spain study abroad program. The deadline for enrollment is 03/01/2012. Enrollment requires the payment of fees and travel expenses that may not be covered by teaching assistantships or fellowships. Contact the Office of Study Abroad, University of Connecticut, Room 303 Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE) building, 368 Fairfield Road, Unit 2207, Storrs, CT 06269-2207 U.S.A.; Office hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday; 860-486-5022; email: studyabroad@uconn.edu; http://neuroabroad.uchc.edu/