Harvard Summer Program in Trento, Italy
At a Glance
Dates:
June 10–August 8, 2010
Application deadline:
February 5
Cost:
$7,500
Accommodations:
Dorms
Slideshow
Related Links
Contact
- Alfonso Caramazza, e-mail
Harvard College students can attend an information session for this program.
A unique opportunity to study neuroscience organized by the Mind/Brain/Behavior Interfaculty Initiative
Faculty: John A. Assad, Moshe Bar, Richard T. Born, Alfonso Caramazza, Bevil Conway, Albert M. Galaburda, and Margaret S. Livingstone
This 8-week, interdisciplinary program at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy, provides students a unique opportunity to study the mind/brain. Taught by neuroscientists and cognitive scientists from the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School, the courses include hands-on laboratory sessions (e.g., neuroimaging demonstrations) and noncredit Italian language classes, while surrounded by the breathtaking Italian Alps.
All students take the introductory course offered in the first half of the program and then choose 1 more course from 2 in-depth courses offered in the second half of the program. Instruction is in English. The program enrolls both US and Italian students to foster a cross-cultural learning environment.
The program also provides outings and weekend trips intended to immerse students in Italian culture and tradition. Student outings include hikes in the Italian Alps, boat trips on the Lago di Garda, and day or overnight trips to nearby cities such as Venice, Verona, Mantova, and Vicenza. Courses run Monday through Thursday; Fridays are dedicated to program outings. Students are housed in University of Trento housing.
Course of study
All students take MBB S-101 in the first half of the program (June 14–July 11), and then choose either MBB S-91 or MBB S-92 as their second course (July 12–August 5). The noncredit Italian course is optional and also offered in the first half.
MBB S-91 Study Abroad in Trento, Italy: What Art Can Tell Us about the Brain (32563)
Bevil Conway and Margaret S. Livingstone.
(4 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
The course explores the neuroscience of visual art. We examine the nature of the physical stimulus to which the visual system is responsive, the physiological mechanisms that capture this signal and convert it into perception, and how this process is revealed in the practice of making art. During discussion sections that form a bridge between science and art, students learn to critically examine masterpieces by incorporating their understanding of the mechanisms by which art is made and perceived. Finally, as part of in-class exercises investigating the resolution and sensitivity of a student's own visual system, a discipline called psychophysics, students engage in making their own art and learn to articulate the process by which they do so.
Prerequisites: MBB S-101.
MBB S-92 Study Abroad in Trento, Italy: Visual Neuroscience—From Sensory Input to Cognition (32564)
John A. Assad and Moshe Bar.
(4 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
How does the perception of simple physical elements give rise to a rich conscious experience of objects and identities, contextual associations, emotions, and memories? In this course, students learn about the visual system in its entirety: from sensory input to perception and cognition. We discuss and explore together the neural underpinnings of the range of processes that lead from light to understanding: starting with the perception of edges, color, and motion; continuing with the recognition of objects and faces; and ending with cognitive processes such as contextual activation, semantic processing, and memory. The course also touches upon related issues such as the role of attention in vision, feedforward versus feedback processes, and interaction between the visual system and emotional processing.
Prerequisites: MBB S-101.
MBB S-101 Study Abroad in Trento, Italy: Windows into the Structure of the Mind and Brain (32552)
Richard T. Born, Alfonso Caramazza, and Albert M. Galaburda.
(4 credits: UN, GR) Limited enrollment
The mind/brain can be studied at multiple levels of description and with various methodologies. The course reviews methods from psychophysics to neuroimaging, and from computational modeling to clinical neuroscience. Each method is illustrated through laboratory demonstrations. This course is mandatory for all program participants, and it is meant to provide the neuroscience and cognitive science foundation necessary to explore specific topics in the field. The course is co-taught with other faculty members from the Mind/Brain/Behavior Interfaculty Initiative.
Prerequisites: none.
Study Abroad in Trento, Italy: Intensive Italian
This noncredit course provides students with an intensive, immersion-based study of Italian. The course complements the schedule of Windows into the Structure of the Mind/Brain. Participation is optional. Students learn Italian while also learning about Italian customs and culture.
Prerequisites: none.
Course credit
See Study Abroad Credit Information.
Faculty
John A. Assad, PhD, Profesor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Moshe Bar, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Richard T. Born, MD, Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Alfonso Caramazza, PhD, Daniel and Amy Starch Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Bevil Conway, PhD, Knafel Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Wellesley College
Albert M. Galaburda, MD, Emily Fisher Landau Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
Margaret S. Livingstone, PhD, Professor of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
Application
Students must be at least 18 years old, have completed at least 1 year of college or be a first-year student, and be in good academic standing to apply.
The application materials, outlined below, are required of all US applicants and are due no later than February 5. (Students applying from within Italy should contact cognelab@wjh.harvard.edu for specific application directions and to request application materials.)
- A completed online application (available in early December) that includes:
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee
- A supplementary statement describing interest in the program, relevant coursework, and travel experience (previous travel is not a prerequisite)
- Official transcripts (sent directly to the address below; unofficial transcripts are accepted for Harvard College students only)
Transcripts should be addressed as follows:
Matilda West
Study Abroad Coordinator
51 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Students are notified of admission decisions by late February or early March.
Cost
The cost of the program is $7,500 and a nonrefundable $50 application fee. This covers the following:
- Tuition
- Room and some meals
- Field trips
In addition to the program fee, students are responsible for:
- A health insurance fee ($175; waived if students have US insurance that provides coverage outside the United States)
- Transportation to and from Trento
- Independent excursions
- The cost of passports and visas (if the latter is needed)
- Any immunizations
Program directors will advise students of likely additional expenses. A sample budget for estimating expenses will be available soon.
How to pay and funding options
See How to Pay for payment deadlines, deposit amounts, and more information including funding options for Harvard College students.
Accommodations
Students receive on-campus housing at the University of Trento, Italy. There are 2 students per dorm room, and there is access to lounge areas and kitchens in the same quarters.
Students should schedule their arrival for Thursday, June 10, as they have a mandatory 2-day orientation on Friday, June 11, and Saturday, June 12. Courses begin on Monday, June 14, and end on Thursday, August 5.
Students are required to move out of dormitory housing by 5 pm on Sunday, August 8. Students are asked not to travel internationally (e.g., to other European countries) on the long weekends, except with prior permission of program coordinators.
Additional information
Contact Alfonso Caramazza at cognelab@wjh.harvard.edu.
Students with disabilities should contact the disability services coordinator as soon as possible. See Students with Disabilities for more information.