Annual Conference

Annual SfN Chapter Conference

Date: April 10, 2026
Time: 9:30am - 5pm -  see schedule below
Location: UMass Amherst, Commonwealth Honors College Events Hall
Parking available at the campus parking garage, enter 'UMass Amherst Parking Garage' into GPS, it is located at 1 Campus Center Way off of Commonwealth Ave. 

Preregistration is closed

A full day of activities will include chapter discussions and an opportunity to vote for upcoming chapter leadership, presentations on scientific advocacy and data blitz talks, and poster presentations showcasing ongoing research at our regional institutions.  We have also lined up exciting speaker panels covering the themes of Neural Development in the morning, Neural Function & Dysfunction in the afternoon, and a special lecture on Neuroscience Misinformation & Disinformation. See the lineup of speakers below.

There will be a drawing for prizes for poster presenters.

Registration fees:
Faculty $40
Undergraduates $10
Others (Grad student, technician, Post-doc, Staff) $20 

Schedule:

9:30-9:50 - Welcome and Introduction 

9:50-10:20 - Mark Histed – National Institute of Mental Health (personal capacity)

"Systems neuroscience and neuro-AI: 

New experimental tools and new concepts of network function" 

10:20-11:00 - Panel #1 – Neural Development – Harshada Sant, Chair

            10:20-10:40 – Mariana Pereira – UMass Amherst

            10:40-11:00 – Eviatar Yemini – UMass Chan Medical School

11:00-11:30 - Chapter business and break 

11:30-12:00- Presidential presentation – Alo Basu, Holy Cross

                           Theme: Neuroscience misinformation and disinformation

                           Challenges, Priorities, and Principles

12:10-12:40 - Data blitz – Paul Katz, Chair

12:40-1:30 - Lunch

1:30-2:30 - Panel #2 – Neural Function and Dysfunction – Issa Yussuf, Chair

            1:30-1:50 – ChangHui Pak, UMass Amherst

            1:50-2:10 – Richard Lopez, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

            2:10-2:30 – Travis Faust, UMass Chan Medical School

2:30-3:30 – Panel #3 - Scientific Advocacy - Alo Basu, Chair

Rachael Sirianni, UMass Chan Medical School

Chung-Fan (Joseph) Kuo, UMass Chan Medical School

Mark Histed, National Institute of Mental Health (personal capacity)

Mindy Domb, MA State Representative

3:30-5:00 - Poster session

5:00 pm – Closing Comments

Neuroscience Misinformation & Disinformation

Alo Basu
Professor, Neuroscience
Holy Cross

Neural Development Talks

Neural Function and Dysfunction talks

Scientific Advocacy