The Cognitive Science Program is excited to announce the continuation of the Cognitive Science Travel Award Program, which provides funding to COGS students to support educational and professional opportunities that involve travel. The Travel Award Program operates on a rolling deadline. View the full eligibility requirements, application, and full details on the Cognitive Science Travel Award webpage. Questions regarding the Cognitive Science Travel Award Program may be sent to cogsci@uconn.edu.
Author: Crystal Mills
Welcome Back Students! Come Meet the COGS Team on 9/10
Welcome back, COGS students! We hope your semester is off to a great start!
To kick off the new academic year, we’re hosting a casual Meet the COGS Team drop-in on Thursday, September 10 from 3–4 PM in Arjona 339.
Come meet the people behind the Cognitive Science Program:
Dr. Dimitris Xygalatas – COGS Director
Dr. Adrian Garcia-Sierra – Director of Undergraduate Studies
Crystal Mills – COGS Program Coordinator
Whether you have questions about the program, want to learn more about COGS, or simply want to stop by and introduce yourself, we’d love to see you!
This is a casual drop-in — stay for five minutes or the whole hour.
Can’t make it but have a question? You can always reach us at cogsci@uconn.edu.
Expand Your Skills with a Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science
The UConn Cognitive Science Graduate Certificate Program is accepting applications for the fall semester through October 1, 2026.
Requiring just 12 credits (four courses), the certificate provides interdisciplinary training across fields such as psychology, linguistics, philosophy, anthropology, communication, education, artificial intelligence, computer science and engineering, biomedical engineering, and speech, language, and hearing sciences.
The program is open to current UConn graduate students as well as individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are not currently enrolled in a UConn graduate program. The certificate can complement an existing graduate degree or be pursued as a standalone credential by those looking to broaden their knowledge, develop interdisciplinary skills, or enhance their professional experience.
Application Deadline: October 1, 2026
Applications require a CV, brief personal statement, and two letters of recommendation. Current UConn graduate students receive an application fee waiver.
Visit the Cognitive Science Graduate Certificate webpage for complete eligibility, course, cost, and application information.
COGS End of Year Luncheon
Join us on Friday, May 1 | 12–2 PM | Arjona 339 for food, community, and celebration!
Open to COGS undergrads, grad students, and faculty—come meet, connect, and celebrate our graduating seniors. Stop by for a few minutes or stay the whole time!
Free food + COGS merch (stickers, notebooks, stress balls & more—perfect for finals!)
🎓 Seniors: Can’t go to the 4/24 send-off? You can still decorate your cap, grab a regalia pin, and celebrate with us!
CogSci Senior Send-Off 4/24
CogSci Seniors,
You made it 🎉 — come celebrate with your fellow seniors!
Join us for a Senior Send-Off to wrap up your CogSci journey:
📅 Friday, April 24
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Arjona 339
Open to all Cognitive Science majors graduating in May or August.
We’ll have:
✨ Snacks & refreshments
🧠 CogSci merch
🎓A cap-decorating station (rhinestones, markers, cardstock, letters, & more!) Feel free to bring your own items!
📌 Senior pins available for pick-up, to be worn on your regalia!
👉 Please fill out this quick RSVP form so we can plan accordingly!
Can’t make it? Join us at the CogSci End-of-Year Luncheon on Friday, May 1 from 12–2pm in Arjona 339 — another chance to decorate your cap, grab a pin, and celebrate.
Cognitive Science Program Colloquium: Matt Daniels on 4/1
Cognitive Science Program Colloquium: Matt Daniels
Date/Time: Wednesday, 4/1 from 4:00pm – 5:30pm EST
Location: McHugh Hall 305
Talk Subject: In this talk, Matt will walk through how to start a creative practice (publicly or just yourself!), that uses your scientific expertise as a foundation.
Abstract: Matt Daniels‘ work centers on both art and technology, creating visual, data-driven essays for The Pudding, an online publication. Through his work, he’s collaborated with many people in the sciences, particularly in computer engineering and data science. These collaborators often remarked that they had assumed creative pursuits would take a back seat to their professional path, and how energized they were to combine their technical expertise with an artistic goal. This talk will center on how to start or maintain a creative practice (publicly or just yourself!), that uses your scientific expertise as a foundation. Matt will review different Internet subcultures/communities at the intersection of art and technology, as well as career paths. He will also discuss the importance of project-based learning, and how that translates to ways to both start and maintain creative energy for your own work.
Meetings: If you are interested in meeting with Matt on 4/1 or attending dinner in the evening, please email crystal.mills@uconn.edu.
IBACS and PSYC BNS Co-Sponsored Talk: Dr. Dylan Gee from Yale University on 3/26
Talk Co-hosted by IBACS & PSYC BNS: Dr. Dylan Gee
Professor in the Department of Psychology at Yale University
Date/Time: Thursday, 3/26/26 fat 4pm EST
Location: Bousfield 160
Talk Title: The Developing Brain in Context: Translating Neuroscientific Insights to Promote Youth Mental Health
Abstract: Environmental contexts can have a profound influence on brain and behavioral development. From trauma exposure to variation in the predictability of caregiving behaviors, the environments in which children and adolescents develop actively shape their neurodevelopment and mental health. Advances in developmental neuroscience have demonstrated how experiences of safety, predictability, and adversity influence the maturation of corticolimbic circuits in ways that confer risk or resilience for mental health disorders. This talk will illustrate how these insights from developmental neuroscience can inform efforts to optimize clinical interventions for anxiety and stress-related disorders in youth. Together, this work advances understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that promote favorable mental health outcomes and guides approaches to foster recovery among youth exposed to adversity or living with mental health conditions.
Meetings: If you are interested in meeting with Dr. Gee or attending dinner, please email crystal.mills@uconn.edu.
Call for proposals: COGS student-faculty research collaboration
The Cognitive Science Program is pleased to announce another call for proposals to promote collaboration between Cognitive Science undergraduate students and faculty on student-led projects. These grants are intended to support new ideas, pilot studies, and exploratory projects that bring together our community of scholars across disciplines. Priority will be given to projects that provide clear opportunities for student mentorship and training.
Funding details:
- Awards of up to $2,000 each.
- Funds may be used for research expenses such as participant recruitment, software, materials, travel for data collection, or other justifiable research-related costs.
- Funds must be spent within 12 months of the award date.
Eligibility:
- Applications must involve at least one UConn COGS student (graduate or undergraduate) and one UConn faculty member.
- Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the project will foster collaboration and contribute to the mission of the Cognitive Science Program.
- Proposals emphasizing student training will be prioritized.
Application details:
- Project title and team members.
- Research proposal (no more than 2 pages, single-spaced), and include:
- A project description. Define research goals, hypotheses, and methods precisely.
- A brief description of the individual participant roles in the project design and execution.
- Plan for collaboration between student(s) and faculty.
- Anticipated outcomes (e.g., pilot data, conference presentation, publication, future grant submission, presentation at IBACS end of year event) including undergraduate-specific departmental poster nights.
- Project timeline (not included in page maximum).
- Budget and justification (not included in page maximum).
- References (not included in page maximum).
- CVs for all applicants
Conditions:
- If awarded, necessary safety and protocol materials (e.g. IRB, IBC, SCRO, Safety Training, etc.) must be provided before funds can be disbursed.
- The Cognitive Science student(s) should be active students for the duration of the project (e.g. if the timeline extends into the Fall 2026 semester, the student should still be active in the Fall).
Deadline:
March 15, 2026
Funding decisions will be made by March 30, 2026
Visit the award webpage to apply!
If you have any questions about this award, please email cogsci@uconn.edu.
Next COGS Graduate Certificate Deadline: 3/1
The next application deadline for the Cognitive Sciences Graduate Certificate Program is March 1, 2026.
Requiring just 4 courses, the COGS certificate is a great way for current graduate students or those with a bachelor’s degree to diversify their profile in an expanding field relevant to many career paths in today’s competitive job market. Three courses can be selected from a list of 60+ pre-approved options from affiliated departments such as Psychological Sciences, Philosophy, Anthropology, Linguistics, Educational Psychology, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Communication, Computer Science Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering. Note that the Director has the discretion to approve courses not currently listed to count for the certificate based on their relevance to Cognitive Science.
Completing the Cognitive Sciences Graduate Certificate opens doors to careers in areas like user experience and human-computer interaction, data and behavioral analysis, AI and machine learning, neuropsychology support, and education technology, among others. It also strengthens your profile for graduate study in the social, health, and data sciences, giving you both practical skills and a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving job market.
For questions about the program, including the application and graduation process, refer to the program page, FAQ page, or email me directly (xygalatas@uconn.edu).
Cognitive Science Travel Award Program
The Cognitive Science Program is excited to announce the continuation of the Cognitive Science Travel Award Program! The application is now open to be used during the Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 periods.
Students can use this award to either cover their flights to/from a relevant study abroad program or to travel domestically or internationally to present at conferences, workshops, and meetings. Students are eligible to apply for up to $1,000 for international and $500 for domestic travel. Any travel costs in excess of the allotment would be responsibility of the recipient. Other experiences requiring travel that are intended to further student’s education or experience relevant to cognitive science will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Deadline: This award program operates with a rolling deadline. Once funds are exhausted, the application will close.
You can view all of the details, including eligibility requirements and the application, on the travel award webpage.
Questions regarding the Cognitive Science Travel Award Program may be sent to cogsci@uconn.edu.
If you are applying because you plan to study abroad: Priority will be given to students attending the Interdisciplinary Ethnography Field Summer School in Mauritius (not offered in summer 2026), the Neuroscience Study Abroad Summer Program in Salamanca, Spain, and UConn Brain & Behavior in Tel Aviv, Israel. The COGS Program will consider other study abroad programs on a case-by-case basis. All program details can be found on the Experiential Global Learning webpage. Note that most courses taken through these summer programs can be counted as elective credits towards the Cognitive Science degree.