Mapping the Human Cortex - Syllabus

• Course: NSC 110H (46245) Mapping the Human Cortex
• Semester: Fall 2020
• Location: Online
• Time: Thursday 4-5pm

Instructor Contact Information

• Alexander Huth
• office hours: Mon 1:30-3:00pm, Wed 1:30-3:00pm
• office: Online!
• email: huth@cs.utexas.edu

Course Description

The human brain is a biological and computational marvel. It can learn, talk, see, touch, smell, taste, think, feel, and listen, while using less energy than a modern laptop. Our brains accomplish these feats through specialization, where each part of the brain focuses only on one or a few tasks. In this course we will take a tour through the human brain in an effort to learn at least a little bit about every single area in the cortex. Because the human cortex is involved in nearly every aspect of human life, we will touch on a broad set of topics, including vision, language, audition, touch, decision making, and social cognition. We will also discuss methods for mapping the brain and organizing principles that may be at play.

Topics:

• gross neuroanatomy
• canonical cortical circuits
• cortical columns
• maps, modules, and gradients
• cytoarchitecture & myeloarchitecture
• organization of the visual system
• org. of the somatosensory system
• org. of the auditory system
• org. of the motor system

Format and Procedures

Class will meet on Zoom once a week (Thursday 4-5pm), with links posted to Canvas. Classes will mostly consist of lecture and discussion. Each class will be recorded, with recordings posted to Canvas. (Please do not share these recordings!)

For the assignments in this class you will need access to a computer with software for illustration/image editing installed. Free illustration software like Inkscape would be perfect, and can run on GNU/Linux, Windows, or Mac OS X. Non-free software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop would also be fine, or really anything else that allows you to edit images. If this is an issue for you, please get in touch with the professor as soon as possible so that we can try to figure out a solution.

Course materials (lecture slides, etc.) will be available on the course website (https://github.com/alexhuth/cortex-fa2020).

Class Recordings: Class recordings are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any form. Violation of this restriction by a student could lead to Student Misconduct proceedings.

How to Succeed in this Course

Read the course materials. Ask questions if any topics are unclear. Be respectful of each other and the professor. Have fun! :)

Course Requirements

Syllabus and Text

This page serves as the syllabus for this course. This syllabus is subject to change; students who miss class are responsible for learning about any changes to the syllabus. Course readings will be made available for download from the course GitHub repository (https://github.com/alexhuth/cortex-fa2020).

Exams and Assignments

Coursework for this class will consist solely of a semester-long project to create a 3-D interactive infographic illustrating the structure and function of the human cortex. For each of the four "homework assignments" you will be asked to turn in the current version of your infographic, with guidance on certain elements that will need to be included to receive credit.

There will be no exams.

Course Grade

• Infographic "homeworks" (75%): You will be asked to turn in your current infographic 4 times, including the final submission.
• Class participation (25%): Showing up for class, demonstrating preparedness (i.e., doing readings if they are assigned), and contributing to class discussions. Students who are unable to regularly attend synchronous online class should contact the professor.

Course Policies & Resources

Late Homework & Extension Policy

Homework is due by the start of class on the noted due date. Homework must be turned in on the due date in order to receive full credit. Homework turned in less than 1 week late will be accepted but the score will be penalized by 10%. Homework later than 1 week will not be accepted.

Late homework will also be accepted under exceptional circumstances (e.g., medical or family emergency) and at the discretion of the instructor (e.g. exceptional denotes a rare event) with no penalty. This policy allowing for exceptional circumstances is not a right, but a privilege and courtesy to be used when needed and not abused. Should you encounter such circumstances, simply email assignment to instructor and note "late submission due to exceptional circumstances". You do not need to provide any further justification or personally revealing information regarding the details.

Academic Honor Code

You are encouraged to discuss your project with classmates and work on them together, but all submissions must reflect your own, original work. If in doubt, ask the instructor. Acts like plagiarism represent a serious violation of UT's Honor Code and standards of conduct:

http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_plagiarism.php
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/conduct.php

Students who violate University rules on academic dishonesty are subject to severe disciplinary penalties, such as automatically failing the course and potentially being dismissed from the University. Don't risk it. Honor code violations ultimately harm yourself as well as other students, and the integrity of the University, policies on academic honesty will be strictly enforced.

For further information please visit the Student Judicial Services Web site: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs.

Notice about missed work due to religious holy days

By UT Austin policy, you must notify the instructor of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

Q Drop Policy

If you want to drop a class after the 12th class day, you’ll need to execute a Q drop before the Q-drop deadline, which typically occurs near the middle of the semester. Under Texas law, you are only allowed six Q drops while you are in college at any public Texas institution. For more information, see: http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/csacc/academic/adddrop/qdrop

Student Accommodations

Students with a documented disability may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 512-471-6259 (voice) or 1-866-329-3986 (video phone). http://ddce.utexas.edu/disability/about/

• Please request a meeting as soon as possible to discuss any accommodations
• Please notify me as soon as possible if the material being presented in class is not accessible
• Please notify me if any of the physical space is difficult for you

University Resources for Students

The Sanger Learning Center

Did you know that more than one-third of UT undergraduate students use the Sanger Learning Center each year to improve their academic performance? All students are welcome to take advantage of Sanger Center’s classes and workshops, private learning specialist appointments, peer academic coaching, and tutoring for more than 70 courses in 15 different subject areas. For more information, please visit http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/slc or call 512-471-3614 (JES A332).

The University Writing Center

The University Writing Center offers free, individualized, expert help with writing for any UT student, by appointment or on a drop-in basis. Consultants help students develop strategies to improve their writing. The assistance we provide is intended to foster students’ resourcefulness and self-reliance. http://uwc.utexas.edu/

Counseling and Mental Health Center

The Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) provides counseling, psychiatric, consultation, and prevention services that facilitate students' academic and life goals and enhance their personal growth and well-being. http://cmhc.utexas.edu/

Student Emergency Services

http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/

Important Safety Information

BCAL

If you have concerns about the safety or behavior of fellow students, TAs or Professors, call BCAL (the Behavior Concerns Advice Line): 512-232-5050. Your call can be anonymous. If something doesn’t feel right – it probably isn’t. Trust your instincts and share your concerns.