Neuroscience & Humanities: Food
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does Neuroscience & Humanities: Food differ from the other options of the Poly Research Initiative?
Neuroscience & Humanities: Food develops research skills in neuroscience, behavioral biology and the humanities within the context of food. The central question of the course explores how humans interact through the lens of food. The exploration happens in three dimensions:
In the first, the course draws from research in neuroscience and behavioral biology to explore the central question;
In the second, it draws from research in the humanities, including world history and local experiential modules to explore the central question; and
In the third, the students’ interpretation of the course question and how it evolves as they engage with the the first two dimensions of the course.
Note that students will explore the intersection of the first two dimensions of the course in addition to exploring them separately. In other words, how do neuroscience and behavioral biology enrich the humanities and vice versa within the context of the students’ independent project.
Note also that students will develop skills in diversity, equity and inclusion, and cross-cultural competencies within the context of the three dimensions of the course, including a series of experiential modules that use food as a lens to explore some of the representative cultures of the greater Los Angeles area.
2. Will the Neuroscience & Humanities: Food course involve any neuroscience experiments?
Yes, the first dimension of the course will provide students with multiple opportunities to use state-of-the-art technology to record and analyze baseline potentials and spike potentials from live neurons among other electrophysiology experiments.
Student video of a hands-on neurobiology experiment