Minds%20

1
Minds Machines Program and BS in Cognitive
Science

• Director Bram van Heuveln

2
Minds Machines Program Objective

• The Minds Machines program brings together
  students and faculty with interests in cognitive
  science and technology.
• Cognitive Science The science of all aspects
  (reasoning, perception, decision-making, etc) of
  any mind (human, animal, machine) through
  philosophy, psychology, computer science,
  neuroscience, linguistics, and other disciplines.

3
Minds Machines Program Dual Major

• MM students are encouraged to have a dual major
• 1 aimed at Minds (e.g. PSYC or PHIL)
• 1 aimed at Machines (e.g. CSCI , ECSE, ME, EE)
• popular combinations are
• Computer Science/Psychology
• Computer Science/Philosophy
• Engineering/Psychology
• Note Dual major is appealing to employers

4
Minds Machines Program Concentrations

• Cognitive Modeling
• Perception and Action
• Gaming (the Games And Simulation Program BS has a
  Cognitive Science Concentration)
• AI
• Robotics

5
Minds Machines Program Laboratories

• CogWorks Lab
• Perception and Action (PandA) Lab
• Rensselaer Artificial Intelligence and Reasoning
  Laboratory (RAIR Lab)
• Human-Level Intelligence Lab

6
Minds Machines Program Example Research
Puzzle Solving AIs
7
Minds Machines Program Example Research
Cognitive Robotics
PERI passes one section of the WAIS-R IQ test!
8
Minds Machines Program Example Research
Cogbot for UT
9
Minds Machines Program What Do I Get Out of
the Program?

• Discussion of ideas in cognitive science and
  technology with other students and faculty
• Biweekly luncheons (free lunch) during which
  faculty and students share latest research
  findings
• Get actively involved in any of our research labs
• Do science as well as engineering, investigate as
  well as design, think critically as well as
  creatively
• Be prepared for cognitive revolution
• Develop professional connections to find
  internship and job opportunities (and letters of
  recommendation)

10
Minds Machines Program How Do I Enroll?

• Contact the Director
• Bram van Heuveln
• heuveb_at_rpi.edu
• Orientation meeting
• sept. 6 (next wed.), noon, Sage 4101

11
BS in Cognitive Science Coming Soon A BS in
Cognitive Science!

• We are planning to offer a BS in Cognitive
  Science
• If all goes right, this starts in the fall of
  2008
• If interested, you can transfer into this BS by
  that time.

12
BS in Cognitive Science Core Curriculum

• Minds Machines
• Introduction to Cognitive Science
• Introduction to Logic
• Cognitive Psychology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• Cognitive Modeling
• Sensation and Perception
• Experimental Methods and Statistics
• Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
• Undergraduate Thesis

13
BS in Cognitive Science What Can I do With a
Cognitive Science BS?

• Rich Skill Set
• Programming/Modeling
• Empirical Data Collection and Evaluation
• Complex Systems Analysis
• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Careers (industry, academics) in Computer Science
  (AI, robotics), Psychology (HCI, Neuroscience),
  Philosophy, Decision Sciences, IT, Economics,
  Anthropology, Education, Law, etc.

14
BS in Cognitive Science If You Are Interested

• Contact the Director-Of-Undergraduate-Studies-In-C
  ognitive-Science-To-Be
• Bram van Heuveln
• heuveb_at_rpi.edu