Affiliated Groups

Computation and modeling are now featured prominently in nearly every arm of neuroscience — from single-cell sequencing to whole-brain simulation. As "big data" becomes increasingly affordable and easy to generate, computational skills are now as essential as skills at the bench. The goal of NUCNC is to provide a venue for computational neuroscientists of all skill levels to discuss techniques and ongoing research. We also aim to enable scientists new to computation to develop their coding skills. Toward these aims, NUCNC hosts regular research-in-progress talks from students and featured faculty and guests, with an emphasis on hosting early-career speakers. We also plan to offer hands-on coding tutorials and discussion sections. Interested lecturers, attendees, or organizers should feel free to reach out to Sebastian Malagon Perez, Ryan Lu, Andrew Ulmer, or Selim Chalyshkan for more information. 

The quality of the scientific training and overall experience in the NUIN program depends on effective communication between NUIN leadership and NUIN students. The NUIN Student Advisory Committee (NSAC) represents one avenue for student-leadership interactions. NSAC meets with NUIN leadership formally at least once a quarter. In addition to representing and advocating for the views and needs of their peers, NSAC representatives serve as student leaders by helping to organize student participation in NUIN activities such as the annual retreat and recruitment events.

The NUIN Teaching Fellowship Program (NTF) was launched in 2018 to provide NUIN graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with an opportunity to gain hands-on teaching experience. Eligible candidates who are interested in developing their teaching skills can apply to serve as teaching fellows for NUIN faculty members with undergraduate teaching responsibilities (faculty mentors). Candidates that are selected to serve as teaching fellows will attend their faculty mentor's course to observe their teaching style, and they will also design and present content (e.g., lecture, discussion) for the course. Teaching fellows may gain additional experience with course design, making and grading assessments and mentoring undergraduate students. For more information, please email nuin_TF@northwestern.edu.

NTF Leadership

2025-Present: Kristine McLellan (Sanchez Lab) and Ryan Lu (Fitzgerald Lab)

2023-2025: Kristine McLellan (Sanchez Lab) and Mark Agrios (Miri Lab)

2022-2023: Alex Cates (Gordon Lab) and Kelsey Wright (Yao Lab)

2018-2022: Dr. Laura Shanahan (Kahnt Lab) & Dr. Carmen Lin (Disterhoft Lab)
 
NTF Teaching Fellows & Faculty Mentors

2025-2026:
Diya Basrai (Glaser and Miri Labs), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Andrew Miri
Kayla Miguel (Schmidt Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt
Selimzhan Chalyshkan & Ethan Baxter (Fitzgerald Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Fitzgerald

2024-2025:
Ryan Lu (Kennedy Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Maanasa Natrajan (Fitzgerald Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Fitzgerald
Dr. Xuanyi Lindsay Lin (Turek Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Fred Turek

2023-2024:
Mark Agrios (Miri Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Dr. Marcos Aranda (Schmidt Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt
Erika Yamazaki (Paller Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Fred Turek

2022-2023:
Kristine McLellan (Sanchez Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bozza
Dr. Michael Elbaz (Miri Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Liorimar Ramos-Medina (Patel Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt

2021-2022:
Dr. Chris Vaaga (Raman Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Dr. Jemma Webber (Garcia-Añoveros Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bozza
Mikki Novakovic (Prakriya Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Valerie Kilman
Kacey Suvada (Dewald/Acosta Labs), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt

2020-2021:
Dr. Bart van Alphen (Allada Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Dr. Annika Cichy (Bozza Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Bozza
David Swygart (Schwartz Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt

2019-2020:
Dr. Michael Alpert (Gallio Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy
Dr. Kyle Blum (Miller Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt
 
2018-2019:
Kevin Wilkins (Yao Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mark Segraves
Sophia Wienbar (Schwartz Lab), Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Schmidt

The purpose of the program is to facilitate relationships between more advanced PhD students and first-year students. The program encourages the incoming graduate students to branch out and connect with the other cohorts while integrating them into NUIN and offering them another support network. 

The Student Hosted Seminar Series (SHSS) was created in 2006 as an opportunity for NUIN students to host highly distinguished neuroscientists for seminar and site visits. Candidate SHSS speakers are selected and invited by a committee of NUIN students and postdoctoral fellows. Each event is organized by a team of one or two members from the committee that works closely with the speaker to arrange all aspects of their visit, including travel and itinerary. 

Current Committee Members:

• Genia Kozorovitskiy, PhD (faculty adviser)
• Donnisa Edmonds
• Joe Minton

Please contact Donnisa Edmonds or Joe Minton if you are interested in joining this committee!