In honor of the the 25th anniversary of neuroscience at Trinity, the department’s programming culminated in an extravagant celebration at the first-ever Brain Event this past Saturday. Esteemed Trinity neuroscience alumni and additional pioneers in the field presented talks and panels throughout the day, and all students were welcome to join for free (except for the delicious catered dinner of course, yum!)
Professor Sarah Raskin, current chair of the neuroscience department played a key role in organizing and securing the speakers for the event, so she agreed to answer a few questions for us about her involvement in the department!
When did you start teaching in the neuroscience department at Trinity?
Around 1994, I began teaching and doing research at the college.
Which neuroscience classes do you teach regularly?
Brain and Behavior, Human Neuropsychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and previously Principles of Neuroscience.
What is your favorite thing about neuroscience, both at Trinity and as a discipline overall?
I love how multidisciplinary the major is. You’re forced to think about things differently than you would in any other science because of its far reach towards other departments. At Trinity specifically, I love how cordial, warm, and friendly the department is. Since the major incorporates many different departments, it has allowed some of the nicest, most knowledgeable professors to work together. Lastly, though, there is just so much left to learn!
What got you interested in neuroscience originally?
In college I started as a biochemistry major, but I took one great class with one amazing professor and everything shifted. I noticed myself getting answers to questions I’d subconsciously always wondered about, so I knew neuroscience was the best area for me.
How do you use your neuroscience knowledge throughout your daily life?
If we all used neuroscience more in our daily lives, we’d probably be better off. Even just in planning the menu for the Brain Event, I worked with the caterers to order brain-healthy foods. I’ve been working with some school systems to request that classes start later to allow students to fully wake up and reach their best cognitive function by getting more sleep. I also constantly use neuroscience to explain to my students how they can best learn and study to be as effective as possible, and it’s not even just my bias; there’s neuroscience research to back up what I’m saying!
What does your current research concern?
I’m currently conducting research to help people with brain injuries get better. More specifically, I am looking at how memory can be restored after brain damage.
How have you seen the department expanding in the past few years?
There have been several additions to the faculty in the past few years, including Molly Helt, who does research in autism, and Luis Martinez, who will be a full-time neuroscience professor in the fall and focuses on endocrinology. On top of the new hires, we also added a Master’s program in 2013 and it’s been going really well so far.
What message would you like to share with students considering a neuroscience major in the future?
I urge you to fully consider neuroscience as a major! It will force you to think critically across many disciplines, and most importantly you’ll learn a lot about yourself!