Increased interest in undergraduate science research justifies the acquisition of state-of-the-art facilities in order to attract gifted students toward careers in neuroscience. Through this project, histological and neuroimaging equipment are funded to enable students in the Psychology Department to continue to investigate the influence of certain variables (e.g., stress, fetal-alcohol exposure, and environmental enrichment) on the nervous system. The new equipment gives students an opportunity to utilize the most current methodology in their pursuit of gaining knowledge about the intricacies of the brain. The neuroimaging/histological equipment is being used in the laboratory component of the Physiological Psychology course, a new Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience course (yet to be approved), as well as other Psychology and Biology courses (e.g., Cell Biology). The acquisition of the neuroimaging equipment can introduce undergraduate psychology majors to the "wonder" of the brain, enhance the chances of undergraduates getting accepted into graduate neuroscience programs (especially women undergraduates), and motivate precollege students to consider studying neuroscience in their academic careers.
