Frequently Asked Questions

In Behavioral Neuroscience, Dr. Castillo Ruiz is accepting graduate students for Fall 2027.

Each year, there are approximately 10-15 students working in the labs of the Behavioral Neuroscience faculty. Some new students are admitted each year through the Behavioral Neuroscience graduate program within Psychology. Others are admitted through a variety of units, including the Neuroscience Program, Department of Integrative Biology.

It depends on what is best for you as an individual, and it is a good idea to discuss this issue with the person you are most interested in working with before you apply. However, the following list may help you in making your decision:

• In either Psychology or Neuroscience, you can conduct your research in any of the following labs - Castillo-Ruiz, Johnson, Lonstein,  Veenema, or Yan, and the project you do could be identical regardless of the program.
• The coursework in Psychology and Neuroscience differ with respect to the number of courses that are elective vs. required. In Psychology, there is somewhat more flexibility with respect to which courses each student takes and when they are taken. All students in the Neuroscience Program take a series of required courses during their first two years. In practice, however, Psychology students often elect to take many of the same courses as Neuroscience students. All of the courses are open to graduate students in both programs.
• The Neuroscience Program requires that students rotate in two labs during their first year; the Psychology Department does not.
• Although both programs have a comprehensive exam consisting of a written and an oral part, the timing and the content of the comprehensive exam differs. Behavioral Neuroscience students in Psychology develop an upper-level undergraduate course in their discipline (this course is not taught, just planned), typically in their third year. Neuroscience students develop an NIH predoctoral grant proposal at the end of their second year.

Students typically take two 3-credit classes each semester prior to beginning their dissertation work. This allows ample time for involvement in research. Students take required courses including statistics and Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience, and can choose from options such as Sensation & Perception, Developmental Psychobiology, Systems Neuroscience, and others. Students may also take courses offered in other departments.

Broadly, our research focuses on the neuronal, hormonal, and genetic control of behavior. Here is a brief list of our specific research interests:

Alexandra Castillo-Ruiz: Effects of microbiota and Cesarean birth on brain development

Alexander Johnson: Neurobiology of learning and motivation, focus on obesity, addiction, and neuropsychiatric illness

Joe Lonstein: Brain control of motherhood, neurochemistry of postpartum caregiving and mental health

Alexa Veenema: Neuropeptide regulation of social behavior, modulation by sex, age, and early-life stress

Lily Yan: Daylight effects on mental health and cognition, neurobiology of daily rhythms and sleep

First-year students often begin working with a particular faculty member by communicating directly with them when applying to the program. Our application form encourages prospective students to indicate which faculty member’s research is of particular interest to them. Students may sometimes choose to work in more than one laboratory during their first year while deciding which faculty member’s research best suits their interests. We are a highly collaborative group, and all graduate students (not only first-year students) are encouraged to work with more than one faculty member or on more than one research project to gain experience in different areas of Behavioral Neuroscience or to obtain new skills.

Most students are supported through teaching or research assistantships. Some receive University Fellowships. Students with these types of funding receive tuition waivers and health care benefits. Funding for four academic years is guaranteed for all students in good standing, and it is commonly available for students who need a fifth year to complete their degree. Behavioral Neuroscience faculty commonly support students during summers. As the become prepared, students are encouraged to apply for external funding, and many have been successful in obtaining fellowships from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.

Many of the graduates that obtain their Ph.D.s in the labs of Behavioral Neuroscience faculty go on to become post-doctoral researchers at a variety of institutions, and from there onto faculty positions. Others have opted to find employment teaching at small colleges or conducting research in industry. We encourage students to pursue their passions.

Students typically attend the annual Society for Neuroscience conference, as well as other conferences more focused on their particular research area (such as the annual meeting of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology). Funding for these activities is available from a variety of sources on campus, and is commonly provided by the student's advisor.

It is expected that students will publish research articles in top-tier scientific journals based on their master's thesis and dissertation work.

Behavioral Neuroscience laboratories all have computers that graduate students can use for some applications. Software typically includes Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and statistical packages. All computers provide access to the Internet. However, most students do choose to purchase their own computer for use at home and/or in their offices.