Student exchanges play a crucial role in the personal and professional development of young researchers. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is a shining example of this with its Merkin fellowships (Merkin Graduate Fellows Program (ucsd.edu)) aimed at excellent students, offering them the opportunity to have enriching experiences abroad. These programs not only promote the learning of new skills but also the establishment of international collaborations essential for scientific progress. It is within this framework that The Sense welcomed the doctoral student of Prof. Greg Appelbaum: Louise Stolz.
Louise Stolz, a student at UCSD, chose to join The Sense, a center for innovation and research in Switzerland, to deepen her knowledge in neuroscience. “The goal of my stay here was to learn more about EEG and neuroscience research in Switzerland, to learn a different analysis technique with Prof. Micah Murray‘s team, and to familiarize myself with new research paradigms, as well as to develop connections for future collaborations. I learned more rigorous methods for analyzing neural data, was exposed to multisensory processing projects (I come from a psychiatry lab), and discovered the academic environment in Europe in general. I really appreciated everyone’s kindness, the time they were willing to spend teaching me, and their openness to collaboration. I also loved hiking and skiing in the beautiful mountains!” she recounts.
At The Sense, welcoming foreign students is valued because it not only trains these young researchers but also enriches scientific exchanges with other institutions. This collaborative approach is seen as a means to improve the quality of science and to widely disseminate discoveries to the public.
Seminar on the Application of Cognitive Neuroscience
As part of this exchange, Professor Greg Appelbaum took advantage of a stay in Switzerland to present a seminar titled: “Applying Cognitive Neuroscience to Enhance Performance, Cognition, and Mental Health.”
This seminar highlighted the advances in cognitive neuroscience and their application in various fields to improve human performance and mental health. Dr. Appelbaum presented interdisciplinary studies conducted at the Human Performance Optimization Lab at UCSD, exploring themes such as the role of vision and oculomotor function in athletic performance, and how training these abilities can improve sports outcomes.