Early Career Neuropsychology Seminar Series

Purpose: The primary goal of this series is to provide early-career scholars with an opportunity to present their research and connect with a broader audience beyond their immediate lab environments. Research shows that individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds contribute innovative ideas at higher rates than their peers but often face barriers to recognition and access to academic opportunities (Hofstra et al., 2020). Throughout my career, invited talks have played a key role in networking and professional development, but most of these opportunities came after I had gained seniority. As a PI, I highly value the work of my graduate students and post-docs and believe we need to hear more from emerging researchers as they shape their independent programs. One motivation for launching this series is to amplify voices and perspectives that are not always equitably represented in academic forums. While we actively recruit undergraduate research assistants in our lab, we are continuing to explore more effective ways to expand the reach of our training and mentorship efforts.

 

Time Commitment: We understand the time and effort involved in developing research programs and conducting thoughtful science. For this lecture series, we ask for a two-hour commitment: 1 hour for research presentation, including Q&A, 30 minutes of an individual meeting with me, and then 30 minutes of meeting the lab members. If you are also interested in meeting other OSU faculty members, we would be happy to arrange those as well.

 

Virtual Sessions and Social Media: We will announce these sessions on social media and open them to a broader audience. However, if you prefer to limit attendance to Ohio State University participants, there is an option to indicate that preference. Your choice will not affect the selection process.

 

Selection of Speakers: Speakers will be selected based on several factors: 1) variety in career stage, geographical location, and institutional affiliation; 2) alignment of the research topic with the broad interests of our lab; and 3) a balance of topics across the lecture series as a whole. The lecture series will be held annually, and if we are unable to offer you a spot this year, you will automatically be considered for next year unless you indicate otherwise. Thank you again for your interest!

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Ruchika Prakash

Director, Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging

Professor, Psychology

Ohio State University

Email: prakash.30@osu.edu