Students in our Ph.D. program come from a wide range of backgrounds and work in a range of different domains
within the Brain & Cognitive Sciences, but all seek to understand behavior and how it depends on underlying
mechanisms.
You can learn more about our body of outstanding students by browsing
among their web pages. To make it easier to appreciate the variety of students' backgrounds and interests, we offer
here snapshots of four who are at different stages in their careers, who came to the program with different
backgrounds and expectations, and whose research falls in different parts of our domain.
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Elisabeth Karuza is a fourth-year graduate student studying the neural basis of language acquisition under Elissa Newport. Lizz came to Rochester with a B.A. in Linguistics from Georgetown University.
- "Born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., I was a little hesitant to return to the snow belt after finishing college in D.C. (winters there seemed downright tropical by comparison). Given BCS' reputation as an exceptional graduate program, I decided to submit an application anyway. During recruitment weekend, I was struck almost immediately by how closely BCS fit each of the criteria I had been considering: high productivity, excellent job placement of alumni, comprehensive coursework, low associated cost of living, and a stipend that meant I would not have to worry about just scraping by. Most importantly, I was impressed by the set of academic values I observed. In addition to supporting the role of women in the sciences, the department fosters a collaborative atmosphere among faculty members and graduate students spanning the various branches of cognitive science. The relationships between faculty and the students they advise are uniquely nurturing. Now in my second year at Rochester, I feel inspired and encouraged to explore exciting research questions and methodologies. I continue to be confident that I made the decision that was right for me."
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Kevin Dieter is a fifth year graduate student studying visual motion perception. He came to Rochester
after earning a B.A. in Cognitive Science from Johns Hopkins University.
- "My attention was first drawn to Rochester because of its reputation for excellence both as a whole institution and in
the particular field of vision science. What I learned when I visited is that this excellence stemmed not only from talented
individuals, but from a strong and supportive community with an unparalleled desire to solve problems through collaboration
rather than competition. The diversity of research questions and approaches utilized at Rochester also ensure me that I will be
well prepared to study whatever research questions I eventually settle on. As a new student, it was extremely comforting to arrive
knowing that there was a whole community waiting to support me. And I know that in the future this same community will foster my
curiosity and lead me towards exciting discovery."
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