Keep up to date on upcoming SONGS events. See the events listed below for more details!
Interactive workshop on Science Communication, "Meaningfully engaging the public with science"
Dr. Paula Croxson, in partnership with the Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students and the BrainsCAN Human Cognitive and Sensorimotor Core, will be running an interactive workshop on Science Communication, entitled "Meaningfully engaging the public with science". Dr. Croxson is a freelance science communicator with a background in autobiographical memories and how they are lost in dementia.
The workshop will focus on why there is often a lack of trust between the public and science, and discuss how to overcome these barriers in order to design effective science communication or public engagement approaches. This will be highlighted through the lens of Dr. Croxson's collaborations with local arts and community-based organizations.
The workshop is aimed towards scientists of any career stage who are actively interested in getting involved in science communication, outreach or public engagement about their research. Registration is free and open to researchers of any stage (graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty and staff) conducting neuroscience or psychology research at Western University.
Coffee and light refreshments will be provided during the workshop, and a pizza lunch will be provided for attendees after the lecture. Registration will close on April 14th at 11:59 PM, OR when capacity for the event is reached (whichever comes first). Be sure to registeras soon as you can to reserve your spot!
Halloween Movie Night
SONGS is excited to host a Halloween movie night on Thursday October 26, at 6pm in the WIRB lunchroom (4190)! (Snacks will be provided.) To help us gauge interest, please fill out the survey to indicate what type of movie you want to watch and to vote for specific movies.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFKjw3UrbpMNaJaRbIsgnocZmNVSJx52UecJiGzYhQ0HMgbg/viewform
If you have any movie suggestions that aren't listed, feel free to write them under the “Other” response on the survey.
Holiday Party
Join us for our 2022 Neuroscience Holiday Event!
Thursday December 1st, 2022
4:00pm - 7:00pm
The Wave (UCC)
RSVP required. Hope to see you there!
Neuroscience Research Day
The Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS) is hosting our Neuroscience Research Day (NRD) virtually on February 24th and 25th! NRD is an annual conference that highlights the latest neuroscience research at Western and brings together trainees, faculty, and staff to exchange ideas.
Thesis Defense Info Session
From 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM on Tuesday February 8th, the SONGS Information Sessions Committee will be hosting a virtual Thesis Defense event, open to all MSc. and PhD trainees.
The information session will include:
1. A presentation on preparing and defending a thesis, followed by Q&A regarding thesis defense logistics with Lara Staecker and Susan Simpson.
2. A discussion period with Graduate Neuroscience Program faculty member, Dr. Arthur Brown, on what to expect on defense day from thesis examiners.
3. A panel featuring graduate students who have recently defended MSc. (Madeline Gilchrist) and PhD (Matthew Maitland) theses.
This event is a great opportunity for all graduate students to learn more about preparing for a defense and to hear from other students about their defense experiences!
If you are interested in attending this event, we ask that you please fill out the registration form linked here.
Holiday Party
Join us for our 2021 Neuroscience Holiday Event!
Monday December 13th, 2021
4:00pm - 6:00pm
The Wave (UCC)
RSVP required - please follow the link here. Hope to see you there!
IWIK Mental Health Panel Discussion
Join the SONGS “I Wish I Knew” Committee for a panel discussion on Mental Health in Academia. The panel will take place Tuesday, December 7th from 12PM – 1PM on Zoom.
In this panel, we will be joined by experts who conduct research on mental health and stigma. They will offer their insights on the pervasiveness of mental health issues, stigma, and outline potential areas of improvement, especially in the realm of Academia.
Please register for the panel and submit your questions for the panelists by using this link.
CGS-M Info Session
The Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS) is holding a virtual Canadian Graduate Scholarships Master's (CGS M) Awards Information Session for those who will be or are interested in applying for CGS M Awards.
The event will include:
1) A presentation on the ins and outs of the CGS M application.
2) A discussion period with our Program Coordinator, Susan Simpson, on the logistics of applying for CGS M awards.
3) A panel featuring Hayley Shanks, a Neuroscience graduate student who currently holds a CGS M award.
This event will take place via Zoom on Tuesday November 9th from 2:00 - 3:00 PM. We ask that if you are interested in attending this event to please fill out the registration form linked here.
Neurosocial
Our monthly Neurosocial will take place Thursday, October 28th starting at 5pm!
Let’s reconnect with one another over light grub on the Grad Club (patio or indoors depending on weather). Spots are limited so first come first serve and you must have proof of vaccination for indoor dining! Faculty and trainees are welcome!
NeuroHike
Join the Neuroscience Program on a Hike for Mental Health at Komoka Provincial Park, Saturday, October 23rd at 11:00am in support of #hikeOctober. The #hikeOctober campaign is to raise awareness of the challenges of mental illness, fund mental health research and conserve wilderness trails. We will grab a few pictures to document our time at the event!How to sign up?
First register to attend the event with the Neuro Program via this link. We include carpooling as an option for those who can drive and support passengers!
Sign Up prior to attending the hike by joining the cause, here with the Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation.
After registration, details on the event logistics will be sent out Friday. We will meet at 11am at 503 Gideon Drive (20 minutes away from campus) and begin the 2hr White Trail hike through the beautiful meadows and river that lies within the park.If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. See you all then!
Neuroscience Seminar Information Session
The SONGS Information Sessions and Presentations Committees will be hosting a virtual How to give a seminar presentation event. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the expectations for Perspectives in Neuroscience MSc/PhD seminar talks as well as to hear some tips and tricks for creating excellent seminar presentations!
The session will include:
Opening remarks from our Program Director, Dr. Brian Corneil, on common mistakes and oversights in Perspectives in Neuroscience seminar presentations.
A Q&A period regarding the evaluation of seminar presentations with the Perspectives in Neuroscience course TA, Mehrdad Kashefi.
A presentation from Dr. Spencer Arbuckle (a recent Graduate Neuroscience Program Alum) on how to prepare and give exceptional seminar talks.
If you are interested in attending this event, we ask that you please fill out the registration form linked here.
Big Ideas Discussion Club
We're happy to announce the first event of the SONGS' Big Ideas Discussion Club for the new school year. The event will be on Friday October 8th from 3:00pm - 4:00pm. We are planning on meeting outside the WIRB behind the glass atrium area in the sitting area. We've chosen this location so pizza can be provided while maintaining distancing guidelines!
We'll be discussing a recently published article published in Cell Reports titled Dissociable contributions of phasic dopamine activity to reward and prediction by Pan and colleagues (2021). A copy of this paper has been included in the email.
Everyone is welcome, whether you are familiar with this topic or not! We're looking forward to seeing you for some pizza and science talk.
Transferring from MSc to PhD
Are you thinking of rolling over from your Masters into a PhD, or want to learn more about the graduate degree transfer process? If so, the Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS) Information Sessions Committee has the perfect event for you. We will be hosting a virtual MSc to PhD Transfer Information Session via Zoom on Tuesday October 5th from 2:00 – 3:00 PM. This event will include:
A presentation on the MSc to PhD Transfer process;
A question period with our Graduate Neuroscience Program Director, Dr. Brian Corneil;
A panel featuring current students who either chose or did not choose to transfer.
If you are interested in attending this event, please fill out the registration form linked here!
Meet Your Mentor
SONGS Mentorship Committee presents “Meet Your Mentor” 2021, open to all mentors and mentees of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Join us for a chance to meet your mentor and fellow mentees in-person over drinks and games! Check your emails or our slack channel for more details on the location etc.
Neuro Picnic/ BBQ
We are excited to share news of our next in-person neurosocial, which will be a picnic/ BBQ in Gibbons Park on Friday the 24th of September. More details about this event, including times, will be shared as we get closer to the date.
Buddy Games Night
SONGS Mentorship Committee and the Psychology Graduate Student Association (PGSA) present the first Buddy Night of the new semester. This games night will take place virtually on Discord and will feature games such as Jackbox games, cards against humanity, online poker and more!
When: Friday, September 17th 2021 from 7pm onwards
Where: Join our Discord server here
Canadian Graduate Scholarships Doctoral (CGS D) Awards Information Session
The Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS) is holding a virtual Canadian Graduate Scholarship Doctoral (CGS D) Awards Information Session for those who will be or are interested in applying for CGS D Awards.
This event will include a brief presentation on the NSERC and CIHR applications, a scholarship writing discussion and question period with Neuroscience department members, as well as a panel discussion with current Neuroscience graduate student CGS D award holders.
WHEN: Thursday, September 9th from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
WHERE: via Zoom!
We ask that if you are interested in attending this event to please fill out form linked here: https://uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0v2cCoEPzS4wrRk
Panel "What I Wish I Knew Coming into Grad School"
On Tuesday September 7th, at 2:40pm, the SONGS IWIK committee will be hosting a “What IWIK Coming into Grad School” panel. We invite you all to join our moderator Sarah Kearsley alongside panelists, including Ruby Malik, Oren Princz-Lebel and Sid Rankaduwa, for a discussion about starting grad school.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 7th from 2:40 PM - 3:10 PM
WHERE: North Campus Building Rm 114
IWIK Women in Neuroscience
On Tuesday March 30th, at 5pm, the SONGS IWIK committee will be hosting a “Women in Neuroscience” panel. We invite you all to join our esteemed panelists, including Dr. Lisa Saksida, Dr. Marieke Mur, Dr. Ramina Adam, and Niveen Fulcher, for a discussion about being a woman in the field of neuroscience, and in science in general. We invite registrants to anonymously submit questions to our panelists using the google form link below.
Google Form to Submit Questions
Please don’t hesitate to email Ruby, rmalik42@uwo.ca, with any questions you may have.
Neuro Christmas Party
We are approaching the holiday season, the most wonderful time of the year! Join us on December 18th at 5pm for this year’s Holiday Party. We are jazzing it up to a virtual format on Zoom! This includes many of the same amazing parts of our yearly Holiday Party but all online and in the comfort of your home. Come decked out in an ugly holiday sweater or holiday gear.All lab members and families are welcome. We will begin with some festive entertainment, followed by a visit from Santa for all the children, then transition into the competitive spirit with Holiday/Neuroscience Trivia, and finish with cookie decorating!Did we mention that gingerbread cookie kits will be provided FOR free and can be picked up December 14th and 15th from the Fisher Conference Room, RRI. You can grab either the ingredients to make at home with friends and family or a pre-made kit. Bring your cookies online during the holiday party and decorate as a group (best decorated cookie could get a present from Santa!) For baking kits, all you need to supply is the eggs! To guarantee a cookie kit, please RSVP by December 11th, 2020. RSVP for the Neuroscience Program Holiday Party here.
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IWIK Biggest Mistakes
On Thursday November 19th at 5pm (via Zoom), the SONGS I Wish I Knew Committee (IWIK) will be hosting a “Biggest Mistakes” event. During this event, our excellent panel of speakers, including Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo, Dr. Jody Culham, Nick Hanfield-Jones and Vasiliki Tellios, will each tell a story about a time when they made a mistake in their academic careers. The event is intended to be light-hearted and fun, and ultimately demonstrate that it’s okay to make mistakes!
As an attendee, you will have the chance to pose questions to our panelists. Additionally, all attendees will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of two $25 Downtown Dollars gift cards! Please visit https://www.downtownlondon.ca/explore-downtown/downtown-dollars/ to learn more about all the fun stuff your Downtown Dollars can be used for.
Canadian Graduate Scholarships - Master's (CGSM) Information Session
The Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS) is holding a virtual Canadian Graduate Scholarships - Master's (CGSM) Information Session for those who will be or are interested in applying for CGSM awards. Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS) will also be discussed.
This is a great opportunity for students to gain insight on the timeline for the CGSM and OGS applications and receive tips on how to create a successful application, as well as to ask questions to past award winners about their experience when undertaking this process.
This event will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, November 11th at 1:30 PM. If you are interested in attending this event, please fill out this very brief registration form!
You may also join without registering using the zoom link below:
https://westernuniversity.zoom.us/j/93044117297
Meeting ID: 930 4411 7297
Passcode: SONGS2020
October Neurosocial
Neurosocials are going VIRTUAL! We've moved to Discord, a simple online platform that allows members to interact via voice and video chat and messaging. This virtual space is designed to encourage discussion on everyday life, research, learning opportunities, and events in neuroscience, plus games.
Bring a drink and snacks and join us Thursday, October 1st from 5-7pm. We would love to see trainees and faculty connect, so please come out.
It takes two easy steps to get started:
(1) Download the app on your phone or computer and create an account (OR SKIP TO STEP 2) - you may miss out on notifications and updates if you don't sign up and download
(2) Click the link (https://discord.gg/nc6NJXw) and join in on our neurosocial events directly on your browser or in the app.
Instructions on how to use Discord will be shared once you’ve joined. We will send out a user guide early next week and you can also access this one here: https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-DiscordThank you to SONGS Mentorship for supporting this event and making it possible.
Buddy Night
Thank you for your interest in Buddy Night! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we will host this year’s event on the Discord server. Although we are disappointed that we will not be able to gather in person, we hope to provide a fun and engaging opportunity to interact with students across a number of programs at UWO who all share a common interest in the brain, behaviour and cognition.