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How does the brain compute visual information?
Four-area recording and modeling of overlapping receptive fields from Dr. Snyder’s lab.
Learn MoreHow do our eyes parse the world?
High-precision eye-tracking in the active perception lab of Drs. Poletti and Rucci.
Learn MoreHow do groups make decisions?
An experiment on collective decision-making in ants from Dr. Sasaki’s lab.
Learn MoreMajors & Minors
Pursue a degree or take courses in brain and cognitive sciences. We also administer a concentration in neuroscience.
Graduate Studies
In our nationally ranked PhD program, graduate students are considered junior colleagues and future peers.
Research
Our research spans a large domain and straddles several disciplines in the cognitive, computational, and neural sciences.
Featured News
Faculty Q&A: Elise Piazza, PhD
August 28, 2025
Elise Piazza, PhD , is an assistant professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Neuroscience at the University of Rochester. She completed her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science and Music at Williams College, her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, and her postdoctoral training as a C. V. Starr Fellow at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. Today, her research aims to understand how the brain organizes natural sounds, including speech and music, and how multiple people’s brains and behaviors align to support interpersonal communication.
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University scholars shine in Fulbright program
July 1, 2025
Congratulations to the recent UR recipients of the Fulbright US Student program, including two School of Arts and Sciences alumni. Isabelle Miranda ’23 BS, BA (neuroscience and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies) earned a Fulbright grant for an English Teaching Assistantship in Taiwan. Daniel Pyskaty ’25 BS, BA (brain and cognitive sciences and linguistics) earned a Fulbright grant to conduct research at the Institute of German Linguistics at Philipps Universität Marburg.
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How the genetic few can sway the many
June 13, 2025
In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers studied minority influence in fire ants—highly social insects—and discovered a surprising genetic underpinning to the phenomenon. The research offers insights into how social interactions shape individuals and groups.“Our research may help us understand how other animals make consensus decisions,” says Takao Sasaki, an associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester.
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Student Spotlight: Yue Guzhang
May 2, 2025
Yue Guzhang is a fourth-year student in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) Program at the University of Rochester . She received her undergraduate degree in BCS from the University. Guzhang works with Associate Professor Martina Poletti, PhD , in the Active Perception Lab , studying how attention and fixational eye movements influence our ability to see fine details in the fovea.
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How artificial general intelligence could learn like a human
April 3, 2025
Turns out, training artificial intelligence systems is not unlike raising a child. That’s why some AI researchers have begun mimicking the way children naturally acquire knowledge and learn about the world around them—through exploration, curiosity, gradual learning, and positive reinforcement.
Learn MoreUG Research
Undergraduates are encouraged to become engaged in research projects and gain valuable experience for postgraduate education, medical school, or employment.
Collaborations
Research in BCS is greatly enhanced by our strong ties with departments, programs, and research centers across the University, including the Medical Center.
Want more information about the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences? Contact us.
The Department of Psychology also offers PhD training in Clinical, Social, and Developmental Psychology.