Transcript UpdatesFall2012x - Cognitive Science Department

Undergraduate Studies in
Cognitive Science
Fall 2012
News
• We had 3 undergraduate COGS majors
graduating this spring. Together with last
year’s 2, we’re now at 5.
Latest Numbers
• 53 COGS majors
• By year:
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16 seniors
19 juniors
15 sophomores
3 freshmen
• By major:
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COGS: 18
COGS/CSCI: 21
COGS/GSAS: 7
Other duals: 7 (MATH,PHIL,PSYC, BMED, ISCI)
Possible Dual Majors
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COGS / CSCI
COGS / MATH
COGS / GSAS
COGS / PSYC
COGS / PHIL
COGS / ITWS
COGS / CSYS (very tight, but can be done!)
COGS / PHYS?
COGS / COMM?
COGS / BIOL??
COGS / BMED??
Minors
• We now have a Cognitive Science minor:
– Introduction to Cognitive Science
– Plus 3 more courses
• Possible future minors we’re thinking of:
– 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 (only 1
extra course in addition to COGS courses!)
Other Concentrations
and Programs
• GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration
– Contact: Elizabeth Large
• ITWS has Cognitive Science track (as well as
Psychology track)
– Contact: Bram van Heuveln
• MGMT: 5 year Masters in Management in Technology
Commercialization and Entrepreneurship program
(Cognitive Science track)
– Contact: Jeff Durgee
• COGS: 5 year Co-Terminal (M.S. and B.S.) and 7 year
Co-Terminal (PhD and S.B) degree programs
– Contact: Brett Fajen
Curriculum Discussion
Current Curriculum for BS in
Cognitive Science
• Basic Math /Science
– Calc. I + II, Discrete Structures or Diff. Eq.
– Comp Sci I, Data Structures, 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
Behavioral Neuroscience
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Cognitive Modeling / Programming for AI and Cog Sci
Sensation and Perception / Structure of Language
Phil of AI / Knowledge and Rationality / Metaphysics & Consciousness
• 2 Electives
– Cog Sci related courses from PHIL, PSYC, CSCI, and a few others
• Undergraduate Thesis
A Necessary Change
• The CSCI department changed their
sequence.
– From: CSCI I, Data Structures, Discrete
Structures, Algorithms
– To: CSCI I, Data Structures, Foundations of
CSCI, Algorithms
• (Foundations of CSCI combines Discrete
Structures and Models of Computation)
• COGS curriculum needs to go through
same sequence
An Obvious Change
• Right now we list Behavioral Neuroscience
as a required course, but new faculty
member Alicia Walf teaches several other
neuroscience courses, including
Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience.
• We’ll probably make this into an option
(i.e. take one of these).
Other Possible Changes
• We could list a few more options in the
‘Cognitive Modeling’ corner:
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Cognitive Robotics
Psyc Modeling with Cognitive Architectures
Intelligent Virtual Agents
… could Intro to AI be made one of these?
• What about the Sensation and Perception /
Structure of Language option?
– Structure of Language hasn’t been taught in a while
… but Cassimatis sometimes teaches a Knowledge
Representation or Use of Language course instead.
A Small ‘Crisis’
• Jim Fahey, who taught Minds and
Machines, Philosophy of Science,
Knowledge and Rationality, and
Metaphysics and Consciousness, was
forced to retire.
• This severely restricts the PHIL options of
the COGS curriculum.
• ... Not sure what to do …
Introduction to Cognitive
Science
• This is a weird one …
• Seems like an obvious course: basic
overview of all areas + springboard to
advanced courses in each separate area.
• But:
– Still largely philosophical
– Somewhat redundant if advanced courses
cover all that stuff … and more!
• Possible idea: make this one of the PHIL
options
Potential Other Changes
• Increased emphasis in Secondary Areas
(neuroscience, linguistics, anthropology)
• Replace some Core courses with Electives
• Tracks
• Research requirement
Increased Emphasis in
Secondary Areas
• Quite a few students on survey would like
to see increased emphasis on
neuroscience (also goes with persistent
interest from BMED students in COGS)
– Good news: a cognitive/computational
neuroscience person tops the list of what dept
wants to hire
• A few indicated linguistics and natural
language processing
Replace Some Core Courses
with Electives
• Most students responding to survey would like
this … some argued this should be done exactly
because Cognitive science is such a large field.
• Several students identified Experimental
Methods and Statistics as a course that they felt
should not be required (or at least in current
form)
• Idea: Make a ‘Formal Methods for Cognitive
Science course that includes statistics, logic, …)
Tracks
• I proposed an ‘Artificial Cognition’ (CSCI /
PHIL) and a ‘Human Cognition’ (PSYC/
Neuro) track
• Mixed responses
– Some say just take care of this with more
electives
– Some say have more tracks than that
– Some say that’s not a clear division (couple
said they like to combine Neuro and CSCI)
Research Requirements
• Basically unprompted, a good number of
respondents said to add some kind of
research requirement (possibly through a
coop/intern).
– Desire for Applications of Cognitive Science?
• Note: we do nothing with Cognitive Science and:
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Law
Education
Economics
Design
Culture/Society
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Online Courses
• All under www.coursera.org
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Basic Programming
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Humanities and Social Science
Information, Technology, and Design
Neuroscience
• I can give 1-2 credits Independent Study for
successful completion of these courses (Add
Deadline: next Monday, 9/10)
Wednesday Issues in Cognitive
Science Seminar
• 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 “Issues in Cognitive Science” at
400 level
– Restricted to COGS majors or dual majors
with PHIL or PSYC
Speakers This Semester
• September 19, Selmer Bringsjord, RPI
– Online University Courses
• October 3, Afzal Upal, Univ. of Toledo
– Computational models of spreading of cultural information
• October 17, Selim Aki, Queens University
– Unconventional computing
• November 7, Robert Olberg, Union
– Sensory motor control of insects
• November 28, Matthias Scheutz, Tufts University
– All-Round Cognitive Science guy (probably something philosophical)
• All other talks by COGS graduate students
• For a complete schedule of speakers go to Speaker Series off of
Cognitive Science department home page
• If you think of a potential speaker, let me know!
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: 9/10)
– Also fill out an Independent Study/URP Registration form
• for $ (deadline: 9/14)
• Research can be used for Senior Thesis
Overview Research Labs
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Mei Si, Si Lab
Ron Sun, Cognitive Architecture Lab
Brett Fajen, PandA Lab
Wayne Gray, CogWorks Lab
Bram van Heuveln, Cognitive Robotics
Lab and Visual Logic Group
• Selmer Bringsjord, RAIR Lab
Paperwork
• Declare or add Cognitive Science Major
– Fill out Change of Major form
– Advisor: Bram van Heuveln
– Curriculum Coordinator: Betty Osganian (Carnegie 108)
• 1 credit for lectures
– Fill out Independent Study form
• 200/400 PHIL/PSYC “Issues in Cognitive Science”
• Senior Thesis/Capstone Project
– Find thesis advisor
– Fill out Thesis Registration form
• 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, 9/12
– For $:
• Find faculty member with $!
• Deadline: 9/16