The Nature of Consciousness and Cognition:
A Multimodal Neuroscience Approach

Program organizer: Dr. Philip Tseng

To train students to think about mind and consciousness-related questions from a Cognitive Neuroscience perspective, and be able to design relevant experiments with multimodal imaging techniques in mind.

In the field of Cognitive Neuroscience, new technology like PET, fMRI, and improved EEG has made it possible to “see” into the neural substrate of mind, in ways that had previously not been possible. In addition, certain pathologies in Neurology that enabled teasing apart conscious processing of visual stimuli from non-conscious processing were discovered, pathologies like blindsight. Meanwhile, psychologists have begun developing new experimental paradigms that made possible mature, rigorous experimental investigations of consciousness, and philosophers have also begun doing the conceptual spadework necessary to distinguish among distinct components of consciousness, helping to identify those that are experimentally tractable.

Considering students coming from different majors and different countries, their backgrounds can be diverse, so this TEEP program is designed in three stages to fit students of various levels of expertise. The three steps include (a) pavement of neuroscience background, (b) training of neuroimaging techniques, and (c) application to public health and clinical pathology. Along the three steps, the students will learn step by step to collect special knowledge to the brain science and realize what they can do from (a), and then learn how to do from (b). Finally (c) is to contribute their knowledge to assist clinical diagnosis and to boost public mental health. In the GIMBC course design, the students not only can develop excellent skills toward mind/consciousness research, but also develop enthusiasm and motivation with clear visions by taking practical projects to gain hands-on research experience in neuroscience.

Subsidy program: Participant who commit for a minimum of two months internship will be eligible to a monthly subsidy of TWD 7,500 for the first two months

Reimbursement Information: Participant who commit for a minimum of two months internship and the internship start date is no later than 1 July, 2019 will be eligible to  an accommodation reimbursement of TWD 7,500 with a capped hotel rate of TWD 1,400/night (official receipt or invoice shall be submitted to you program by 20 July, 2019)

«Application should be submitted at least two months before your intended internship start date»