School of Cognitive Science

Events
CS Wednesday Talks: These weekly talks cover a variety of subject housed under the title of "CS." Each talk lasts from Noon-1PM in the ASH lobby with lunch served.

CS Distinguished Alumni Lecture: These lectures are sponsored by The School of Cogntive Science and the SPARC endowement fund. George Bonanno will be giving the next lecture on February 9, 2012, details to be announced.

Cognitive Science at Hampshire and Adele Simmons Hall
The School of Cognitive Sciences was originally concieved in the New College Plan as the School of Language Science, intended to study language and communication. It was later broadened to the study of cognition in humans and animals, and was the first of its sort in the country. The school is based in Adele Simmons Hall (ASH). The current dean is Neil Stillings.

Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) is located in the Longsworth Arts Village; it houses faculty offices, electronic classrooms, and an auditorium equipped for video, film, and slide projection. ASH is the home of the School of Cognitive Science's offices and research laboratories, which include the ERP (brainwave) laboratory, cognitive psychology laboratory, animal behavior laboratory, child development laboratory, computer animation facilities, and a high-performance computer cluster that supports advanced work in artificial intelligence, computer graphics, and distributed systems.

Cognitive Science Curriculum Statement
Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the study of the mind, the brain, and computing technology. Hampshire's diverse program serves students with interests in many areas, including psychology, philosophy, linguistics, biology, animal behavior, computer science, anthropology, education, child development, learning, digital multimedia, and the social effects of new information technology. Many different types of Division II concentrations and Division III projects can be organized in whole or in part around the study of the remarkable capacities of the mind and brain or around the potential of computers and digital technologies. Over the past thirty years cognitive science has become a central area of knowledge and liberal arts learning, offering a critical perspective on human nature, on the nature of knowledge itself, and on our possible futures in the digital age. The three interlocking areas of the School's curriculum reflect these perspectives:


 * Mind and Brain. Research on the mind and brain is one of the most exciting frontiers of science. Our understanding of ourselves and our potential is being profoundly altered by studies in many areas: brain imaging; the perceptual and mental abilities of infants and young children; theories of neural networks; the roots of learning disabilities, dyslexia, and autism; the evolution of animal consciousness and behavior; the nature of learning and memory; the effects of psychiatric medications; and the possibility of intelligent machines are just a few examples. We examine all of these areas in our courses and work with students in the laboratory and field to produce new research results in many of them.


 * Knowledge and Language. The nature of meaning and knowledge and the question of how they can be represented in the mind and conveyed by language are among the oldest and most central issues in philosophy, linguistics, and psychology. In our program faculty members and students examine and extend the new ideas that are emerging from interdisciplinary research in this area. We study, for example, the relation between language and thought, the acquisition of language by young children in widely varying environments, the implications of philosophical theories of knowledge for neuroscience and computer science, and the question of how mere words can possibly capture the richness and variety of our thoughts.


 * Computing Technology. Computers and other digital technologies are extensions of the human mind, and, increasingly, they have more or less capable minds of their own. One focus of our curriculum is to give students a foundation for further work by providing them with skills in programming and digital media. Another focus is understanding computers, networks, and digital media as tools for learning and creativity and as powerful catalysts of intended and unintended social transformation. A final interest is the study of the potential and limits of artificial intelligence and its relationship to biological intelligence.

Courses and projects in cognitive science are supported by the school's laboratory facilities in Adele Simmons Hall, which include an open computing laboratory, child development and cognitive psychology laboratories, and laboratories for projects in digital media, artificial intelligence, and learning technology. Work on animal cognition and behavior is supported by the animal research facility, located on the college farm.

Areas of Study
Animal Behavior and Evolution: The animal behavior program is devoted to the study of animal behavior, its evolution, and its relation to human behavior and cognition. Students and faculty members conduct research on the communication systems and cognitive capacities of wild and domesticated animals. The program's laboratories are equipped with advanced video and audio recording equipment and analysis software. The program provides a comparative and evolutionary component to CS's cognitive neuroscience program. It maintains close ties with the Hampshire College Farm Centerthrough its field studies of the farm animals and of the wild populations on the farm's lands. Some of the program's facilities are located at the farm. The program also maintains close relationships with those in biological and environmental science in the School of Natural Science. Computer Science: Hampshire's program in computer science is located in the School of Cognitive Science. It emphasizes the transformative potential of computers and other digital technologies for understanding and extending the human mind and brain. The curriculum is designed to give students foundational skills in programming and to provide them with opportunities to work on advanced projects. The program emphasizes artificial intelligence, evolutionary computation, artificial neural networks, artificial life, digital art, and other areas of research that explore the potential for computer intelligence and that provide the horizon for the ultimate development of computing technologies. The computer science curriculum is supported by an electronic classroom that also serves as a computing laboratory and by a high-performance, remotely accessible computer cluster. Education: CS's education program focuses on the nature of learning and its implications for the design of curriculum and instruction for kindergarten through college. It also includes courses in educational research and assessment. Students in the program are involved in classroom observations, curriculum design projects, educational technology design, teaching internships, and research on learning motivation. The program is closely linked to CS's curriculum in human cognition and cognitive development. It is part of the college-wide Critical Studies of Childhood, Youth, and Learning Program and contributes to the Three College Teacher Licensure Program. Human Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience: Research on the mind and brain is one of the most exciting frontiers of sciences. Our understanding of ourselves is being profoundly altered by studies in many areas, such as brain imaging; the perceptual and mental abilities of infants and young children;  theories of neural networks;  the roots of conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism;  the nature of learning and memory; the effects of psychiatric medications; and the roots of emotion and consciousness in the brain. Our faculty bring expertise in psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and child development (as well as other fields listed below) to these questions. Students and faculty conduct research in CS's electrophysiology (EEG/ERP) laboratory, cognitive psychology laboratory, cognitive development laboratory, and the Hampshire College Children's Center. The cognition and cognitive neuroscience program participates in the Five College Cognitive Neuroscience Certificate Program and is a central component of the college-wide Culture, Brain, and Development Program and the college-wide Critical Studies of Childhoon, Youth, and Learning Program, and shares responsibility with the School of Social Sciencefor the discipline of psychology. Media Arts and Sciences: The media arts and sciences program is devoted to exploring the revolutionary potential of digital technologies for the arts and communication. The program emphasizes computer-based animation through introductory courses on animation techniques, individual production projects, and advanced group production projects. Students also explore other avenues in the digital arts in conjunction with the computer sciences program. The facilities include an electronic classroom/laboratory, the computer cluster, and a software-controlled render farm that processes digital content by making use of spare capacity in computers across the campus network. Philosophy:  Philosophy is a cross-school program at the college, with philosophy faculty members in the School of Social Science (SS), Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (HACU), and Cognitive Science (CS). The CS program in philosophy concentrates on philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, and epistemology. These areas are richly tied to other areas of study in the school, such as cognitive neuroscience, animal behavior, and computer science. Students and faculty explore the philosophical dimensions of questions about, for example, consciousness, personhood, the emotions, knowledge, meaning, the implications of neuroscience for morality and the law, and the nature of the conflict between sciences and religion. The CS philosophy program also contributes significantly to the college-wide programs in Culture, Brain, and Development and Integrated Sciences and Humanities. Sociology of Communication: This program explores the social implications of changes in communications technology in an international comparative context. The program benefits from its relationship with CS's computer sciences and media arts and sciences program, and has ties to the college-wide law program.

Departmental Organization and Programs
The School of Cognitive Science is associated with the following programs:

Culture, Brain and Development:   Funded by The Foundation for Psychocultural Research, with a sister program at UCLA,the goal of CBD is to foster innovative learning and research into questions about the relationships among culture, environment, biology, and brain/mind that reach across traditional disciplinary boundaries. This program encourages students to develop intellectually-adventurous concentrations that engage the intersections of the social, cognitive, and natural sciences.

Critical Studies of Childhood, Youth, and Learning Program:   Promotes critical thinking that entails examining childhood, child development, process of human learning, and educational theory and practice in the context of larger social structures, cultural and historical processes, and political economy.

The Hampshire College Lecture Series on Science &amp; Religion:   The theme for 2007-2008 is A History of Conflict and Cooperation. Last year Hampshire College hosted a series of lectures on Science and Religion. We continue our series this year, exploring the ongoing dialogue between these influential ways of looking at the world. We invite you to join us for continued discussion in the 2007-2008 school year and beyond.

Student Members

 * Alynda Wood
 * Devin Morse

Faculty Biographies
Ernest Alleva, Ph.D. Title: Associate Dean of Advising and Faculty/Staff Associate Extension: 5494 Office: ASH 214 Email: ealleva@hampshire.edu Biography: Ernest Alleva received his Ph.D. from Columbia University. His main interests are in moral and political philosophy, the philosophy of education, and the history of philosophy. Professor Alleva's current projects include work on philosophical issues regarding work, contemporary controversies about freedom of expression, and recent work on liberal political theory. Melissa Burch Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Cognitive Development Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 135 Phone:  413.559.5465 Email:  mburch@hampshire.edu Biography: Melissa Burch, assistant professor of cognitive development, received her B.A. in Psychology from Franklin and Marshall College. She earned her Ph.D. in Child Development with a minor in Interpersonal Relationships from the University of Minnesota. Melissa’s research interests center on memory development, particularly memory for personal experiences. She has been exploring how parental verbal support may contribute to children’s ability to recall the past. In addition, she is interested in how emotion may affect reports of past experiences and how parents and children talk about these events. She is currently examining autobiographical memory from a cross-cultural perspective to study how different socialization experiences may relate to the detail included in memory reports.

Ray Coppinger Title: professor emeritus of biology  Jane Couperus, Ph.D. Title:  Assistant Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 213 Phone:  413.559.5389 Email:  jcouperus@hampshire.edu Homepage: helios.hampshire.edu/~jwcCS/JCouperus.htm Biography: Dr. Jane W. Couperus is the Foundation for Psychocultural Research -Hampshire College Program in Culture Brain and Development Assistant Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. She received her B.A. in psychology and music from Wesleyan University, an M.A. in Applied Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University and a Ph.D. in Child Development with a minor in Neuroscience from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. Her primary research interests are in the development of attention, learning, memory, and their neurological substrates. Her research uses both behavioral and physiological techniques (primarily event related potentials) to gain a better understanding of the brain over the course of development. Jaime Dávila, Ph.D. Title: Associate Professor of Computer Science &amp; Special Presidential Assistant for Diversity and Multicultural Education Office:  Cole Science Center 125 Phone:  413.559.5687 Email:  jdavila@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/jdavila/ Biography: Jaime Davila, associate professor of computer science, obtained his Ph.D. from the City University of New York. His main research interest is in the area of genetic optimization of neural networks for human-like tasks. He is currently using neural networks to solve symbolic/cognitive tasks, including team-based 3D computer games, resource allocation during medical emergencies, and maze navigation. His papers have been presented at conferences such as the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, the International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms, the Congress on Evolutionary Computation, the International Conference on Neural Information Processing, the Conference of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, and the CUNY Human Sentence Processing Conference. Paul Dickson, Ph.D.

Title: Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Office: Adelle Simmons Hall (ASH) 204

Phone: 413.559.5861

Email: pedCS@hampshire.edu

Biography: Paul Dickson, visiting assistant professor of computer science, received a master's of science and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Professor Dickson's main interests are computer vision and education technology. His current research focuses on the interaction of the two within the confines of automated lecture recording and indexing.

Mark Feinstein, Ph.D. Title: Professor of Linguistics Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 206 Phone:  413.559.5551 Email:  mfeinstein@hampshire.edu Biography: Mark H. Feinstein, professor of linguistics, holds a Ph.D. from the City University of New York (1977). His original training was in linguistics, and his early research and publication was in phonology,the study of the sound systems of human languages. He later turned his attention to the evolution of speech and language, and his research and teaching focus is now on the comparative study of vocalization, cognition and behavior in non-human animals. Currently he is working on the vocal behavior of domesticated animals, especially sheep. Much of his field research has been conducted in the west of Ireland with free-ranging hill sheep. He works as well with livestock at the Hampshire College Farm Center. He has also studied domestic dogs, and wild canids such as the New Guinea Singing Dog, and he is now engaged in a research project on the structure of song in robins. He is deeply interested in the general theory of evolution, and also hopes to learn more about the brain, computational modeling of evolution and cognition, molecular biology, environmental science and sustainable agriculture. His work has been published in journals ranging from Linguistic Inquiry to the Journal of Zoology. He is also a co-author, with several Hampshire colleagues, of the first cognitive science textbook for undergraduates, and his work has been presented to a wide range of professional and general audiences. Mark's teaching areas include bioacoustics, animal communication, general animal behavior, linguistic theory, language change, biological evolution and general cognitive science. Salman Hameed, Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Integrated Science &amp; Humanities Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 218 Phone:  413.559.6160 Email:  shameed@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/~sahCS/ Biography: Salman Hameed holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces and a B.S. in physics and astronomy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has taught astronomy classes as well as inter-disciplinary courses on critical thinking, science public policy and history of science. His current research interests include star formation in spiral galaxies, nature of small dusty galaxies in the early universe, reasons for the spread of paranormal beliefs among college students, modern Creation movements in the Islamic world, and reconciliation efforts over sacred objects and places of astronomical importance (e.g. Tomanowos/Willamette meteorite and observatories at Mauna Kea). Madelaine Marquez Title: Director of the Center for Innovative Education and Staff/Faculty Associate Extension: 5301 Office: Mail code: Email: mmarquez@hampshire.edu Biography: Madelaine Marquez is the coordinator of Education Studies and other innovative K-16 education programs. She has an Ed.D. in Multicultural and Bilingual Education from the University of Massachusetts and a B.A. from Brandeis in History. Dr. Marquez has been involved in the field of education for over 25 years. She has taught school at the elementary and secondary level in both public and alternative schools, developed educational programs for underserved students in high school and college, implemented programs for high achieving students at the university level, and participated in national research projects on student achievement. She also served as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Education. Most recently, Dr. Marquez has turned her attention to teacher preparation and development at Hampshire. James Miller, Ph.D. Title: Professor of Communications Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 202 Phone:  413.559.5510 Email:  jmiller@hampshire.edu Biography: James Miller, professor of communications, holds a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania. His principal interests are the sociology of journalistic practices, comparative political culture, the use of culture in international relations and the diffusion of new media technologies and services. Current research includes studies of Western media-assistance foreign aid and the modernist roots of mainstream journalism. He has held a Fulbright research appointment in Paris and chaired the annual international Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, editing its published proceedings. He is a long-time member of the advisory committee to WFCR-FM, the Five College NPR station. He also serves as chair of Hampshire’s European Studies program. Joanna Morris, Ph.D. Title: Associate Professor of Cognitive Science Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 205 Phone:  413.559.5462 Email:  jmorris@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/~jamCCS/ Biography: Joanna Morris, assistant professor of cognitive science, holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a M. Phil. at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and an M.A. at Penn and B.A. at Dartmouth, both in psychology. She was a recipient of a pre-doctoral fellowship from Penn's Institute for Cognitive Science. Her research focuses on phonological (or sound-related) issues and second language acquisition. She teaches courses on cognitive and developmental psychology, the psychology of language and research methods. Sarah Partan Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Education &amp; Cognition Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 131 Phone:  413.559.5559 Email:  partan@hampshire.edu Homepage: helios.hampshire.edu/~srpCS/ Biography: Sarah Partan, assistant professor of evolution and cognition, received her Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis, and her B.A. in biopsychology from Wesleyan University. Her research interests are in the areas of animal social behavior and communication. She is particularly interested in multisensory signaling: how and why animals (including humans) combine signals from multiple sensory channels during communication. She has studied these and related questions in observational studies of wild African elephants, rhesus macaques, squirrels and lizards, and in controlled laboratory studies of birds and dolphins. Sarah is currently creating mechanized animals that simulate animal displays, to use in field playback experiments that combine the rigor of laboratory experiments with the natural setting of the field environment. Christopher Perry, M.F.A., M.S. Title: Assistant Professor of Media, Arts &amp; Sciences Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 215 Phone:  413.559.5476 Email:  perry@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/~chpCCS/ Biography: Chris Perry, assistant professor of media arts and sciences, holds an M.S. in Media Arts and Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His B.A., in physics and astronomy, is from Amherst College. His primary interests are in computer graphics and visual storytelling--particularly the intersection of the two. Prior to coming to Hampshire, Professor Perry was an animation software engineer and technical director at both Pixar Animation Studios and Rhythm &amp; Hues Studios in California. Laura Sizer, Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Philosophy Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 217 Phone:  413.559.5619 Email:  lsizer@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/~lpsCS/ Biography: Laura Sizer, assistant professor of Philosophy, received a B.A. in Philosophy from Boston University in 1990, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2000. She specializes in the philosophy of mind and philosophy of psychology/cognitive science. Her research currently focuses on affect (emotions and moods), but she is also interested in questions about consciousness, representation, music, and personal identity. She has published in The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, Philosophical Psychology, and Mind and Language. In addition to her primary research and teaching interests, Professor Sizer teaches topics in applied ethics, the philosophy of language, philosophy of biology, and the relationship between science and religion. Professor Sizer is on the steering committee for the Culture, Brain and Development Program at Hampshire College. Lee Spector, Ph.D. Title: Professor of Computer Science Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 201 Phone:  413.559.5352 Email:  lspector@hampshire.edu Home Page: hampshire.edu/lspector Biography: Lee Spector, professor of computer science, holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in philosophy from Oberlin College. His main interests are artificial intelligence and the connections between cognition, computation, and evolution. He is also interested in the use of technology in music and other arts. His recent research includes projects on the development of new genetic programming techniques, the use of artificial intelligence technologies in the study of quantum computation, the interdisciplinary study of human and machine cognition, and the development of technologies to support inquiry-based education. Professor Spector is also an active editor, reviewer, and organizer for scientific journals and conferences. He recently received the highest honor bestowed by the National Science Foundation for excellence in both teaching and research, the NSF Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars. He has held the College's MacArthur Chair and has served as the Dean of the School of Cognitive Science and as the elected faculty member of Hampshire's Board of Trustees. Neil Stillings, Ph.D. Title: Dean of Cognitive Science &amp; Professor of Psychology Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) 100 Phone:  413.559.5502 Email:  nstillings@hampshire.edu Home Page: helios.hampshire.edu/~nasCCS/ Biography: Neil Stillings, dean of the school of cognitive science and professor of psychology, has taught at Hampshire since 1971. His Ph.D. is from Stanford and he holds a B.A. from Amherst College. Professor Stillings has been the principal investigator for two major National Science Foundation-supported projects to study science learning in college students. He has written and consulted widely on undergraduate cognitive science education. He is senior coauthor of the 1987 and 1995 editions of Cognitive Science: An Introduction, the first undergraduate textbook in the field. Professor Stillings has served as the elected faculty member of Hampshire's board of trustees and is a member of the steering committee for the Culture, Brain, and Development Program. His interests include learning, visual and auditory perception, and the psychology of language. Music perception, cognition and culture, and the psychology of science learning are current research interests. He is a longtime member of the University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate faculty. Steven Weisler, Ph.D. Title: Dean of Academic Development &amp; Professor of Linguistics Office:  Cole Science Center 125 Phone:  413.559.5378 Email:  sweisler@hampshire.edu Biography: Steven Weisler, dean of academic development and professor of linguistics, obtained his Ph.D. from Stanford and was a Sloan Post-Doctoral Fellow in Cognitive Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He also holds an M.A. in communication from Case Western Reserve University. His is founder and director of Hampshire’s Innovative Instruction Laboratory, which explores educational applications of multimedia technology, and has produced for MIT Press a CD-ROM edition of Theory of Language. He is co-author of the 1987 and 1995 editions of Cognitive Science: An Introduction, the first undergraduate textbook in the field. His main interests lie in semantics, syntax, language acquisition, and the philosophy of language. Laura Wenk, Ph.D. Title: Assistant Professor of Cognition &amp; Education Office:  Adele Simmons Hall (ASH) Phone:  413.559.5364 Email:  lwenk@hampshire.edu Homepage: helios.hampshire.edu/lwenk Biography: Laura Wenk, assistant professor of cognition and education, is a founding faculty member of the Childhood, Youth, and Education Program at Hampshire College supporting college students in examining the relationships among cognition, development, and instruction. She is also the Curriculum Director for the Collaboration for Excellence in Science Education at Hampshire College, an outreach program that assists high school faculty in teaching science conceptually. Professor Wenk taught high school biology and physical science for six years before pursuing her doctorate in curriculum studies. She teaches courses in cognition and instruction, curriculum and instruction, and educational research. Her current research interests include the connections among pedagogy, personal epistemology, and higher order thinking.

Jonathan Westphal, Ph.D. Title: Visiting Professor of Philosophy Office: ASH 202 Phone: 413.559.5502 Email: jgwCS@hampshire.edu Biography: Jonathan Westphal, adjunct professor of philosophy, received his B.A. from Harvard College, M.A. from the University of Sussex, and Ph.D. from the University of London. He has taught at the University of Hawaii, the University of London, Idaho State University, and at other colleges and universities in the U.K. and the U.S. He was an Alexander von Humbolt Fellow at the University of Munich, and is a Permanent Member of the Senior Common Room at University College, Oxford.He has written a book on the philosophy of colour (Colour: a Philosophical Introduction, Blackwell, Oxford, 1991, 2nd ed,) and a number of articles on time, the latest one on the concept of the future.His deepest loves are colour and composition in painting, and the meaning in words in poetry. He has strong research interests in philosophy of mind, and his most recent publication in the area is ‘”My Body," “my X” and “I”," American Philosophical Quarterly, 3 (2008), and also in diagrammatic and visual logics (“Logic as a Vector System," Journal of Logic and Computation, 3 (2005)).

Resources for Cognitive Science Students

 * Resources for Computer Musicians
 * a link point and blogging location for Hampshire College project work involving significant or interesting use of computing: http://i3ci.hampshire.edu/
 * Specialized help from the Library: Helaine Selin, Science Librarian, [mailto:jsvLO@hampshire.edu hselin@hampshire.edu], 413-559-5541
 * Introduction to using the cluster with tractor