Welcome from the Chair

I would like to extend a special welcome to all prospective applicants to the Neuroscience Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Choosing to pursue graduate studies in neuroscience is an important decision, and I am pleased to provide information about the Ph.D. program in neuroscience at UW-Madison, the Neuroscience Training Program, and its many exceptional opportunities.

The Neuroscience Training Program at UW-Madison is an interdepartmental graduate program. It is not a department and thus is generally not included in published numerical ratings of neuroscience departments. With no comprehensive, numeric-based ratings of neuroscience graduate programs available to prospective students, it can be difficult to sort out the differences amongst programs. There are several benefits of being an interdepartmental graduate training program. Because it is not a department, the Program is not responsible for many departmental activities such as faculty hires, faculty tenure or undergraduate students. Our sole responsibility is graduate education in neuroscience! Faculty in the Program are selected for their commitment to graduate training and are well-funded, bringing in over $27 million of research funds each year, which is similar or more than the "top-rated" neuroscience departments in the country.

With more than 80 faculty members in the Program from over 20 departments, numerous opportunities exist for students to pursue their research and training goals. Since the Program's inception in 1971, over 100 Ph.D. degrees in neuroscience have been awarded. In order to prepare students thoroughly for a career in neuroscience, the Program includes emphasis on several aspects of training. Students gain experience and knowledge through course work (including a course in professional development), seminars, doctoral research in the laboratory of their faculty mentor, teaching, and community outreach. The world-renowned faculty, state-of-the-art research facilities, and commitment to graduate education and success at a personal level make the Neuroscience Training Program at UW-Madison unique.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a stimulating place to be for a graduate student. The intellectual atmosphere, the social and academic environments, and the support services for graduate students are outstanding. As one of the premier public research universities in the country, UW-Madison's ranking for Ph.D. programs in the biological sciences is consistently among the top ten. Its strength as a research university is reflected by its high ranking in total federally supported research expenditures. A great asset of UW-Madison is the emphasis on interdisciplinary studies, cross-campus collaborations, and integrativeresearch.

Neuroscience as a discipline is at a vital juncture. Groundbreaking advances such as mapping of the human genome, development of advanced molecular, genetic, and imaging technologies, and novel integrative approaches have expanded knowledge about the workings of the brain as never before. With this increased understanding, neuroscientists now envision significant treatments for numerous diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric illnesses, and developmental and emotional disorders. The Neuroscience Training Program is in the forefront of this progress. I invite all prospective applicants to seriously consider the Program for graduate study. An exciting and fulfilling experience is waiting.