Mike Wiest
Associate Professor of Neuroscience
Links
Mission: to determine the distributed neural substrate of perception.
Education
- B.A., Dartmouth College
- M.S., Michigan State University
- Ph.D., Michigan State University
Current and upcoming courses
How is intelligent behavior produced by the brain and how can it be replicated in machines? What role, if any, does our conscious experience play in producing intelligent behavior? This seminar explores human intelligence through the perspectives of neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science, integrating studies of the brain, the mind, and the computations needed to create intelligent machines. This interdisciplinary approach has accelerated the pace of research aimed at understanding how intelligent agents use vision to recognize objects and events; navigate through a complex, dynamic environment; use language to communicate; and develop a conscious awareness of the world. Through exploration of current research and hands-on computer activities, students will learn about methods used to probe neural circuits and visualize brain activity; investigate human performance and behavior; and build computer models that capture the remarkable abilities of biological systems.
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This course will build on basic concepts in neuroscience that were introduced in NEUR 100. Current issues will be examined within a broad framework that includes readings in cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, and computational neuroscience. Topics such as sensory systems, learning, memory, and cognition will be covered. The accompanying laboratory is designed to expose students to basic methods and experimental approaches in neuroscience.