Contact:
Pietro Perona, Ph.D.
California Institute of Technology
Computation and Neural Systems
1200 E. California Blvd
MS 139-74
Pasadena CA 91125
Telephone: (626) 395-4867
E-mail: perona@caltech.edu
WWW: http://www.cns.caltech.edu
Program Established: 1986
Number of Faculty: 19
Number of Students: 35
US Citizens: 63%
Female: 26%
Minorities: 9%
Hispanic: 9%
Number of Graduates in the Last Five Years:
32
Faculty Supervising Graduate Student Theses: 22
Average Number of Years to Complete the Program: 5.6
Program Description: In 1986, Caltech established an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program to study problems arising at the interface between neurobiology, electrical engineering, computer science, and physics. The unifying theme of today's program is the relationship between the physical structure of a computational system (molecular, neuronal or electronic hardware), the dynamics of its operation, and the computational problems that it can efficiently solve. The creation of this multidisciplinary program stems from progress on several fronts: the analysis of complex biological systems at the molecular, neuronal, network and cognitive levels, the modeling and analysis of artificial neural networks and their learning abilities and the emergence of neuromorphic engineering as an independent
discipline. Mandatory rotations through research groups (labs) provide a unique opportunity for the student to experience the CNS culture. To broaden the student's knowledge and to provide familiarity with different !
techniques and ways of thinking or doing research, each student undertakes three 12-week laboratory rotations (one per term) during the first year, and is encouraged to engage in research. During each rotation, the student is expected to take part in the life and routine of the lab by attending lab meetings, participating in research projects and discussions with members of the lab, and meeting monthly with the faculty of that lab to discuss science.
Admission Requirements: Applicans for admission to the option should have an undergraduate major in electrical engineering, biology, physics, mathematics, or computer science, and a general background that will permit enrolling in advanced courses in the other relevant disciplines. Admitted students will become affiliated with one of the three participating divisions (Biology, Engineering & Applied Science, or Humanities and Social Sciences) as appropriate to their background and interests. All applicants for admission, including those from foreign countries, are strongly urged to submit Graduate Record Examination test scores for verbal and quantitative aptitude tests and for an advanced test in physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science. Students are urged to apply for external fellowships.
How and Where to Apply: Students are encouraged to apply online via Caltech's graduate office homepage at
http://www.gradoffice.caltech.edu. For those students who cannot submit the application online can send it in by mail at
Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies
Mail Code 230-87
California Institute of Technology,
Pasadena, CA 91125
Annual Tuition and Fees: Annual
tuition and fees costs for the year 2003 was $23,933
Approximate Cost of Living: $29,040 on
campus; $31,440 off
campus
Housing Availability and Costs Per Year: Students have the option of living either on campus or off. Living either on or off campus will cost the student about $13,200 a year.
Day-Care Facilities Available and Costs Per Month: The Children's Center at Caltech is available to faculty, gradstudents and staff with children. Tuition is based on age and can run from $13,488 for an infant 5 days a week, to $4,848 for a five year old two days a week.
Stipend/Assistantships and Financial
Assistance: Caltech graduate students often receive a combination of teaching and research assistantships. The Institute offers a number of endowed fellowships to graduate students of exceptional ability who wish to pursue advanced study and research. Most of these fellowships are one-year awards that cover the first year of graduate study. Recently Caltech has also begun offering four-year fellowships, funded by a generous gift from Betty and Gordon Moore. Caltech also offers fellowships for underrepresented students, including women. These fellowships include the Virginia Gilloon Fellowship, the William H. Pickering Fellowship, the Albert and Maguerite Ramond Scholarship, and the Henry and Grazyna A. Bauer Fellowship. The Institute also encourages applicants to seek financial support from outside sources.
Last revised April 2006
http://www.andp.org/programs/graduate/unitedstates/california/cit.htm
Directory of Neuroscience Training Programs
© 2007 Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs
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