Undergraduate Studies in
Cognitive Science
Fall 2015
News
• We had 6 graduating cognitive science
majors last spring:
– 2 straight COGS
– 3 COGS/CSCI duals
– 1 COGS/GSAS dual
• We have 7 incoming COGS freshmen
– Largest incoming cohort so far
– … and I already have 1 more declared
through Minds and Machines!
Latest Numbers
• 48 COGS majors (34 male, 14 female)
• By year:
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18 seniors
9 juniors
14 sophomores
7 freshmen
• By major:
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COGS: 22
COGS/CSCI: 18
COGS/GSAS: 2
Other duals: 6 (PSYC,BIOL,CSYS,DIS,STS)
Curriculum
Curriculum for BS in
Cognitive Science (2013+)
• Basic Math /Science
– Calc. I + II
– Comp Sci I, Data Structures, FOCS, Intro to Algorithms
– Intro to Biology
• 10 core courses:
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Minds & Machines / Philosophy of Science
Introduction to Cognitive Science
Introduction to Logic
Experimental Methods and Statistics
Cognitive Psychology
Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Cognitive Modeling / Programming for AI and Cog Sci
Sensation and Perception
Knowledge and Rationality / Metaphysics & Consciousness
• 2 Electives
– Cog Sci related courses from PHIL, PSYC, CSCI, and a few others
• Undergraduate Thesis
Possible Dual Majors
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COGS / CSCI
COGS / MATH
COGS / GSAS
COGS / PSYC
COGS / PHIL
COGS / ITWS
COGS / BIOL
COGS / BMED
COGS / CSYS (very tight, but can be done!)
COGS / PHYS?
COGS / COMM?
Minors
• Cognitive Science minor:
– Introduction to Cognitive Science
– Plus 3 more courses (Minds and Machines counts)
• Possible future minors:
– Cognitive Technology (AI, Cognitive Robotics)
– Cognitive Engineering (Cognitive Modeling)
• Remember we do have Cog Sci related minors:
– PSYC: minor in Cognition
– PHIL: minor in Logic, Computation, and Mind (takes
only 1 extra course in addition to COGS courses!)
Other Concentrations
and Programs
• GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration
– Contact: Ralph Noble (nobler@rpi.edu)
• ITWS has Cognitive Science track (as well as
Psychology track)
– Contact: Bram van Heuveln (heuveb@rpi.edu)
• MGMT: 5 year Masters in Management in Technology
Commercialization and Entrepreneurship program
(Cognitive Science track)
– Contact: Jeff Durgee (durgej@rpi.edu)
• COGS: 5 year Co-Terminal (M.S. and B.S.) and 7 year
Co-Terminal (PhD and S.B) degree programs
– Contact: Wayne Gray (grayw@rpi.edu)
Online Courses
• Udacity (~50 courses, mostly CSCI, self-paced)
– Introduction to AI
– Artificial Intelligence for Robotics
• Coursera (400+ courses; wide variety)
– Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, Computational
Neuroscience, Natural Language Processing, etc.
• EdX (~70 courses, various fields)
• I can give 1-2 credits Independent Study for
successful completion of these courses (Add
Deadline: Monday, 9/14)
Study Abroad
• RPI has a Study Abroad agreement with the
University of Sussex, that has an excellent
Cognitive Science Program
• Other students have gone to University of
Groningen and University of Nijmegen, both in
the Netherlands
• Study Abroad Informational Sessions:
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Thursday, September 3 at 10am and 12noon
Tuesday, September 15 at 12noon
Wednesday, September 23 at 10am and 2pm
All sessions in Academy Hall, room 3267
Advising
Advising
• There are several people that can help you:
– Faculty Advisor/Mentor
• Helps with general direction of your studies
– Keeps you on track; Suggests courses based on your interests
• Mandatory Student-Advisor Meeting (SAM)
– Staff Advisor: Betty Osganian, Sage 4301
• Helps with ‘day-to-day’ issues
– Helps get you into courses; get forms signed; can tell you what courses
you still need to graduate
– Undergraduate Program Director: Bram van Heuveln
• All of the above
Talks
EMPAC Talk:
The Machine is the Message
EMPAC
Theater
Thursday, October 22
7pm
Researcher and composer Rob Hamilton explores the converging spaces
between sound, music, and interaction. His research focuses on the
cognitive implications of sonified musical gesture and motion and the
role of perceived space in the creation and enjoyment of sound and music.
Minds and Machines
Thursday Night Lectures
• All lectures 7-8:20pm in Sage 3303
• Open to the Public! Full schedule of lectures
• October 29: Moral Robots
– Dr. Selmer Bringsjord will have a philosophical discussion on
how to ensure that robots behave morally
• November 5: RPI Watson Research
– Graduate student Simon Ellis will talk about Watson, RPI’s
involvement with Watson, and ‘Cognitive Computing’
• November 12: Animal Cognition
– Post-Doctoral Student Oliver Layton discusses various forms of
animal cognition
Issues in Cognitive Science
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September 9, Recorded talk of Steven Pinker, Linguistics, Harvard
– “The Curse of Knowledge”
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September 16, Rick Dale, Cognitive and Information Sciences, UC Merced
– Behavioral explanations of Linguistic Performance
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September 30, Susan Eppstein, Computer Science, CUNY and Hunter
– Toward Cognitively Plausible Robot Navigation
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October 7, Lael Schooler, Psychology, Syracuse University
– Simple Heuristics for Decision-making
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October 21, Todd Gureckis, Cognition and Perception, New York University
– Self-Directed Learning
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For a complete schedule of speakers go to Speaker Series off of Cognitive
Science department home page
1 Credit for
Issues in Cognitive Science
• It is possible for undergraduates to receive
1 credit through the Issues in Cognitive
Science Lecture Series:
– Write 1 page response paper about talk for 6
talks of your choice
– Register for COGS “Issues in Cognitive
Science” at 200 (for freshmen) or 400 level
– Restricted to COGS majors or dual majors
with PHIL or PSYC
Research
Undergraduate Research
• Cog Sci students are strongly encouraged
to do hands-on research
• Undergraduate Research Program (URP)
– http://www.rpi.edu/dept/urp
– Fill out URP form:
• You have to write a 500 word proposal!
• for course credit (deadline: 9/14)
– Also fill out an Independent Study/URP Registration form
• for $ (deadline: 9/18)
• Research can be used for Senior Thesis
Overview Research Labs
• CogWorks Lab
– led by Dr. Wayne Gray
– Graduate Students:
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John Lindstedt
Catherine Sibert
Ryan Hope
Matthew Sangster
• Language Endowed Intelligent Agents (LEIA) Lab
– Led by Dr. Marjorie McShane and Dr. Sergei Nirenburg
• Social Interaction (SI) Lab (slides)
– Led by Dr. Mei Si
• All Cognitive Research Labs
• All Cognitive Science Research Areas
Paperwork
• Declare or add Cognitive Science Major
– Fill out Change of Major form
– Advisor: ???
– Curriculum Coordinator: Betty Osganian (Sage 4301)
• 1 credit for lectures
– Fill out Independent Study form
• 200/400 COGS “Issues in Cognitive Science”
• URP
– Fill out URP form
– For credit:
• Fill out Independent Study form as well
• Credits to be determined by project advisor
• Deadline: course add deadline: Monday, 9/14
– For $:
• Find faculty member with $!
• Deadline: Friday, 9/18