undergraduate research tufts

Undergraduate Research Programs

Tufts research symposium, summer scholars program, research presentations for undergraduates, undergraduate research fund, friedman school of nutrition science and policy - summer research experience.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Get involved in research.

Participating in independent research is a unique opportunity for our undergraduates to make their coursework and Majors come alive by gaining exposure to cutting-edge Chemistry research and real-world scientific practice. Undergraduates who engage in independent research will work alongside graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty to develop new solutions to important problems ranging from sustainability & the environment to the prevention & treatment of disease. Independent research is fantastic preparation for graduate school and a wide range of chemistry careers. Many of our undergraduate students produce novel results that lead to authorship on publications .

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is independent research for.

Independent research positions are best suited for curious students who are interested in diving deeper into the world of Chemistry research. For students intending to pursue graduate school, or research careers in Chemistry or related fields, independent research experiences are essential. However, health professional schools, like medical, dental or veterinary schools, do not require independent research. For many Tufts pre-health students, clinical research opportunities provide a better overall fit in terms of interests and the development of relevant skills. Still, many pre-health students have further developed their passion for Chemistry during independent research experiences—some have even decided instead to pursue graduate programs in Chemistry, or gone on to MD/PhD programs.

What is independent research like?

Independent research requires commitment, creativity, passion, and dedication. Independent research can be extremely rewarding, but also time-consuming. Research mentors will expect that students commit a minimum of 15 hours per week of research, typically over multiple semesters. It should not be pursued solely to pad a resume or CV. You will need to carefully consider your own priorities and other commitments before deciding to pursue independent research.

How do I learn more about research?

Students who are interested in research are encouraged to enroll in Chem 3 & 4 (Frontiers in Chemistry) , offered in the fall and spring, respectively. Both of these 1SHU, pass/fail seminar courses provide an opportunity for students to meet faculty and learn more about chemistry-related research at Tufts. Additionally, the department holds weekly seminars in which visiting faculty, typically from other institutions, present their current research. Undergraduates are encouraged to check out the seminar schedule and attend any talks that sound interesting. Finally, interested undergraduates are encouraged to go to individual Chemistry research labs’ websites to learn more about their research and read some of their recent articles.

What steps should I take before I apply?

Working in a lab can be challenging, so it is very important that you feel enthusiasm and passion for your research project. To figure out what research is most exciting to you, you'll need to do your homework before applying to a lab. You can start by reading online about the different types of research happening in the Chemistry Department. Research Lab Profiles provide a research overview, information about relevant prerequisites and deadlines, and a link to each lab's website, where you can learn more about current projects, read recent publications, and more. Once you have identified a few labs that you are particularly interested in, it can also be helpful to talk about research with the people around you. You may make a connection with a research lab by talking to peers, graduate students, teaching assistants, or faculty who may have a piece of advice, or personal connection to research that you are interested in pursuing.  

What information should I include in my application?

You will be submitting a separate application for each lab (please note that you can apply to as many labs as you want). When filling out your application, be sure to mention the specific things about each lab's research that you find interesting or exciting, how the research relates to your overall career goals, and reference any publications that you have read. It is important to take time to personalize each application for the specific labs. Faculty know that undergraduate research spots are limited, so they want to make sure that they select someone who has a good overall fit and match of interests with the work going on in their lab. Taking time to tailor each application will make your application stand out!

How long will it take to hear back about my application?

Once your application has been forwarded to the lab(s) you applied to, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from the front office within a week. Each lab has their own profile , which explains their deadlines and processes for hiring undergraduate researchers. We encourage you to review deadlines for a timeframe in which you can expect to hear from each lab. In general, most faculty try to reviews applications within a few weeks of their stated deadlines, but sometimes things come up unexpectedly that can delay application review. If you're feeling particularly excited about a lab, you may consider reaching out to that faculty member, or the front office, to follow up on the status of your application. Please be aware that, in general, we receive more applications than we have available positions. This means that you should consider applying to multiple labs, and be persistent, as it could take a few months or longer to find a research position.

Does independent research appear on my transcript?

During the academic year, undergraduate students can earn credit for their independent research ( beginning with Chem 81 ) and, during their senior year, they can also participate in a Senior Thesis . In some cases, undergraduates may be paid as summer/academic year research assistants. Additionally, once you have found a research advisor, there are several opportunities to apply for undergraduate summer scholarships to fund summer research positions.

Apply for a Position

The Chemistry Department has a centralized application for undergraduates seeking to join research labs. Please note that expectations and availability of research positions can vary among laboratories. Interested undergraduates should review the responsibilities, expectations, and prerequisites for a position in each Chemistry research lab, as well as the number of available positions and relevant timeline(s) for consideration. To apply, please download the application form and submit all application materials with the links below.

Download application form Submit all application materials

Research Lab Profiles

The Department of Chemistry has 16 unique research labs that provide opportunities to undergraduate students.

Bennett Lab

Research in the Bennett lab uses a combination of organic synthesis, physical organic chemistry, and automation to address longstanding problems in carbohydrate chemistry.

Caspari Lab

The Caspari group focuses on analyzing students', teaching assistants' (TA), learning assistants' (LA), and instructors' reasoning, interactions, and culture

Research in the Clark Group seeks to develop new materials and analytical methods to identify, quantify, and understand the function of RNA modifications in biological systems.

Research in the Davis lab focuses on sustainability in inorganic materials.

The Ding Lab develops advanced computational methods for drug design and understanding complex biophysical processes. The main computational tools used in the lab include molecular simulations and machine learning.

Kounaves Lab

Our research is aimed at understanding how biologically-produced molecules (biomarkers) on Mars are altered when exposed to UV radiation in the presence of oxidants and/or their intermediate products.

Kritzer Lab

The Kritzer lab uses new molecules to solve vital chemical and biomedical problems.  We discover new molecules and apply them by combining approaches from organic synthesis, biochemistry, biophysics, computational design, genetics, and cell biology -- and by inventing new approaches as we go along.

Our research program has broad, expansive interests at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and medicine.  Current problems of interest to the laboratory range from understanding the origin of life to the design of therapeutics for a wide range of indications.

The YSL lab uses computational chemistry to study and predict the structures and functions of biomolecules.

Research in the Mace lab targets many aspects of measurement science: process improvement, assay development, device design and prototyping, usability and user experience, and testing using real sample matrices.

Research in the Scheck lab uses chemistry to learn more about biological systems. We focus on developing new chemical methods that can be used to study protein post-translational modifications, especially those that have been difficult to study using traditional tools.

Research in the Shultz lab focuses on the development of catalysts for various energy applications.

The Sykes lab uses state of the art scanning probes and surface science instrumentation to study technologically important systems.

Research in the Thomas lab focuses on new organic materials that respond to light. Undergraduate researchers in our lab are paired with an experienced graduate student or postdoctoral researcher and given a project of their own.

The Utz Group studies the energetics and mechanism of reactions on catalytically active metal surfaces.

Our group aims to discover new transition metal complexes for sustainable applications.

Summer Scholarship Opportunities

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to apply for scholarships to fund summer research.

• The Robert R. Dewald Summer Scholarship Award
• Tufts Beckman Scholars Program   in the chemical and biological sciences
• Tufts Summer Scholars Program
• ACS Northeastern Section Summer Scholarship

Recent Publications

Below are recent publications from Tufts Chemistry Department with undergraduate co-authors. Undergraduate authors are indicated with in bold .

• Patel, A. , Clark, K.D. Characterizing RNA modification in the central nervous system and single cells by RNA sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry techniques .  Anal. Bioanal. Chem.   2023 ,  415 , 3739-3748 .  
• Gao, Qingzeng. , Jacob-Dolan, Jeremiah W., and Scheck, Rebecca A.. Parkinsonism-Associated Protein DJ-1 Is an Antagonist, Not an Eraser, for Protein Glycation .  Biochemistry  ( 2023 )  62 (6) , pp. 1181-1190  
• Carlos, Carina M.L. , Maggiore, Nicolette M., Dini, Vesal, Caspari-Gnann. Characterizing facilitation practices of learning assistants: an authoritative-to-dialogic spectrum.   IJ STEM Ed   10 , 38 (2023).  
• Baillargeon, K.R., Brooks, J.C., Miljanic, P.R , and Mace, C.R. Patterned Dried Blood Spot Cards for Improved Sampling of Whole Blood . ACS Measurement Science Au 2 , 31–38 (2022).  
• Baillargeon, K.R., Morbioli, G.G., Brooks, J.C., Miljanic, P.R. , and Mace, C.R. Direct Processing and Storage of Cell-free Plasma using Dried Plasma Spot Cards . ACS Measurement Science Au ,  in press (2022).  
• Hawley Brown , Mia Chung , Alina Üffing, Nefeli Batistatou, Tiffany Tsang, Samantha Doskocil, Weiqun Mao, Dieter Willbold, Robert C. Bast Jr., Zhen Lu, Oliver H. Weiergräber, and Joshua A. Kritzer. Structure-Based Design of Stapled Peptides That Bind GABARAP and Inhibit Autophagy . Journal of the American Chemical Society , 144,  14687 (2022).  
• Li, Karen ; Bennett, Clay S. New Chemical Processes to Streamline Carbohydrate Synthesis . Curr. Opin. Chem. Bio.  2022, 70 , 102184  
• Mizia, J. Colin; Syed, M. Usman. ; Bennett, C. S. Synthesis of the a-Linked Digitoxose Trisaccharide Fragment of Kijanimicin: An Unexpected Application of Glycosyl Sulfonates . Org. Lett. 2022, 24 , 731-735.  
• Naz, Neveda, Liu, Dongyu,  Harandi, Bijan,  and Kounaves, Samuel P., Microbial Growth in Martian Soil Simulants Under Terrestrial Conditions: Guiding the Search for Life on Mars .  Astrobiology   22 , 1210-1221 (2022).  
• X. Ye, Y.-C. Lee, Z. Gates, Y. Ling , J. Mortensen, F.-S. Yang, Y.-S. Lin, B. L. Pentelute, Binary combinatorial scanning reveals potent poly-alanine-substituted inhibitors of protein—protein interactions . accepted, Comm. Chem 5, 128 (2022).  
• McEwen, Joseph M., Fraser, Sasha, Sosa Guir, Alexxandra , Dave, Jaydev , and Scheck, Rebecca A. Synergistic sequence contributions bias glycation outcomes . Nature Communications (2021) 12 , 3316 pp. 1-10.  
• J. Miao, M. Descoteaux , Y.-S. Lin, Structure prediction of cyclic peptides by molecular dynamics + machine learning . Chem. Sci. 12 , 14927‒14936 (2021).  
• Jennifer R. Pace, Bryan J. Lampkin, Charles Abakah , Adam Moyer, Jiayuan Miao, Kirsten Deprey, Robert A. Cerulli, Yu-Shan Lin, James D. Baleja, David Baker, and Joshua A. Kritzer. Stapled beta-Hairpins Featuring 4-Mercaptoproline . Journal of the American Chemical Society , 143 , 15039 (2021).  
• Sicinski, K. M.; Montanari, V.; Raman, V. S.; Doyle, J. R.; Harwood, B. N.; Song, Y.-C. ; Fagan, M. P.; Rios, M.; Haines, D. R.; Kopin, A. S.; Beinborn, M.; Kumar, K. A Non-Perturbative Molecular Grafting Strategy for Stable and Potent Therapeutic Peptide Ligands. ACS Cent. Sci. 2021, 7 , 454-466.  
• Yalamanchili, Subbarao; Nguyen, Tu-Anh ; Zsikla, Alexander ; Stamper, Gaven; DeYoung, Aahley E.; Florek, John; Vasquez, Olivea; Pohl, Nicola L. B.; Bennett, Clay S. Automated, Multistep Continuous-Flow Synthesis of 2,6-Deoxy and 3-Amino-2,3,6-trideoxy Monosaccharide Building Blocks . Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60 , 23171-23175.  
• Baillargeon, K.R., Bricknell, J.R. , and Mace, C.R. In situ hemolysis in a three-dimensional paper-based device for quantification of intraerythrocytic analytes . Analytical Methods 12 , 281–287 (2020).  
• Robert A. Cerulli, Livia Shehaj, Hawley F. Brown , Jennifer R. Pace, Yang Mei, and Joshua A. Kritzer. Stapled peptide inhibitors of autophagy adapter LC3B . ChemBioChem , 21 ,, 2777-2785 (2020).  
• Chambers, Kaitlin A., Abularrage, Nile S. , Hill, Caitlin J., Khan, Imran H., and Scheck, Rebecca A . A chemical probe for dehydrobutyrine. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2020) 59 (19) ,, pp 7350-7355.  
• Coughlin, B.P., Lawrence, P.T., Lui, I., Luby, C.J., Spencer, D.J. , Sykes, E.C.H. & Mace, C.R . Evidence for biological effects in the radiosensitization of leukemia cell lines by PEGylated gold nanoparticles . Journal of Nanoparticle Research 22 , 53 (2020).  
• Parker, R.W. , Wilson, D.J.,and Mace, C.R . Open Software Platform for Automated Analysis of Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices . Scientific Reports 10 ,, 11284 (2020).  
• Adailgil, E.; Patil, K.; Rodenstein, M. ; Kumar, K. Discovery of Peptide Antibiotics Composed of D-Amino Acids . ACS Chem. Biol . 20192019 , 14 , 1498-1506.  
• Brega, V.; Kanari, S. N.; Doherty, C. ; Che, D. ; Sharber, S. A.; Thomas, S. W. Spectroscopy and Reactivity of Dialkoxy Acenes . Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25 , 10400–10407.  
• Murray, L.P., Baillargeon, K.R., Bricknell, J.R. , and Mace, C.R. Determination of sample stability for whole blood parameters using formal experimental designdesi. Analytical Methods 11 , 930–935 (2019).  
• Sharber, S. A. Mann, A. ; Shih, K. C.; Nieh, M. P.; Mullin, W. J.; Thomas, S. W. Directed Polymorphism and Mechanofluorochromism of Conjugated Materials through Weak Non-Covalent Control . J. Mater. Chem. Cem. C 2019, 7 , 8316–8324. 

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Undergraduate student researchers at Tufts explore opportunities in labs and beyond

Students share what they have learned from a diverse set of lab experiences..

Graphic by Emma Selesnick

Tufts boasts a plethora of research opportunities that span multiple departments and disciplines. Undergraduates at Tufts use these opportunities to participate in research, gain exposure to academia and explore their niche interests.

Just as diverse as the labs they participate in, student researchers learn hands-on while furthering academic projects and knowledge.

Ella Erskine, a junior studying geology and environmental studies, works in Dr. Jonathan Lamontagne’s environmental engineering lab at Tufts . The lab studies statistical hydrology and models risk analyses of water and energy resources.

Through working in the environmental engineering lab, Erskine is learning about hydrological modeling projects.

“I’m currently getting acquainted with a hydrological modeling project in the Massachusetts area,” she said.

Within the lab, Erskine works with many different people, including undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students. For undergraduate students in particular, according to Erksine, the work is more akin to an independent project.

“For undergrads, at least in my experience, it’s more of an independent project, which is really nice because I get to work on it when I have time to,” she said. “We have group weekly meetings and there we have someone present on their work, so I have a window into what everyone else is doing.”

This isn’t Erskine’s first lab experience, as she worked in two previous geology labs before joining the Lamontagne lab this year.

“I’ve always wanted to do research at university and try to get a more tactile sort of approach. I was searching through mollusk and bivalve shells from the Boston Harbor at my first position, and milling sediment samples as my second,” Erskine said. “I decided to use this semester as a chance to conduct more research in a more removed  sense and develop skills that I hadn’t before.”

This past summer, Erskine was an intern at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

“This specific project I’m working on, mapping these watersheds in Massachusetts, [involves] working very closely with other Massachusetts state agencies,” Erskine said. “So in that way, it’s all kind of tied together.”

For those looking to engage in research opportunities, Erksine suggests simply reaching out to professors.  

“There’s no reason that you shouldn’t go out and just try it because, at the end of the day, after [the] semester, if you decide that [the research] wasn't for you, then there will be other opportunities,” she said .

Erskine added that she is thankful for her research experiences throughout her undergraduate career.

“I am so grateful for all of the experiences that I’ve had so far, and it’s really helped me navigate where I’ve wanted to go and where I think I do want to go in the future,” Erskine said.

Another undergraduate Tufts student who is conducting research is Kevin Zhang, a senior double majoring in biotechnology and biology and minoring in Chinese. He is currently working in the Kaplan Lab, run by biomedical engineering professor David Kaplan.  

The cellular agriculture lab, where Ph.D., master’s and undergraduate students all work, explores new and alternative methods of producing animal-derived products from livestock, as well as the production and development of lab-grown meat.

“A recent project I worked on was on sensory evaluation … of how the cells smell and taste,” Zhang said. “We’re trying to make them for consumption. We had cell lines derived from pig fat that we expanded and grew into pig fat, and we compared them with the pork belly from the supermarket to see how they smelled.”

Zhang was surprised when he learned about the cellular agriculture lab upon arriving at Tufts.

“I proceeded to try to reach out to Dr. Kaplan, the [principal investigator], for the entire year before I actually finally got to start work in the lab,” he said.

Like Erskine, Zhang’s determination proved successful in getting a job at the lab.

“Persistence really helped me get in,” he said. “In the beginning, I was very hesitant [because] I’m just an undergrad and I don’t want to take up their time.” Eventually, however, Zhang came to the realization that “asking is like a superpower.”

Zhang also works for Tender Food , a Somerville-based startup that focuses on alternative proteins such as plant-based meat. He said that the Kaplan lab offers lots of opportunities for networking and career exploration.

“The [Kaplan] lab has a lot of industry collaboration. We frequently have visitors from companies and industries who come to talk and are interested in our research. That provides a lot of networking opportunities and also opportunities for me to get to know the work that happens in the industry,” Zhang said.

Zhang sees the field of lab-grown meat as a rapidly growing one. Guided by what he has learned through research, he plans to pursue graduate school after Tufts.

Within the biology department, Shoshana Daly, a sophomore studying biochemistry, is working in biology professor Sarah Hengel’s lab. The lab studies DNA repair pathways in regards to homologous recombination. Having just begun this semester, the lab is still troubleshooting.

“[In] this current project that we’re working on [with] the [DNA] replicates, we spent about a month doing something that should have taken a couple of days, because when you move into a new lab ... there  is stuff that can go wrong,” Daly said.

Daly, who is on the pre-med track, hopes to learn how to incorporate her research into her future career.

“I’m p re-med, but I’m also very much looking at how I can incorporate research into that,” she said.

Daly found Hengel’s lab by attending one of the weekly Friday seminars which are organized by the biology department. She is currently enrolled in BIO-0093: Research in Biology , a lab course where she is earning credit for her work in the Hengel Lab.

When searching for a lab, Daly recommends focusing on only a few that you find interesting, and learning by doing.

“It’s scary, but you just need to t hrow yourself in the deep end, because I’m learning and I constantly go into a lab [and] I don't know what’s happening. But then I leave and I know a little bit more,” Daly said. “Getting that experimental experience is what’s gonna make you a better scientist.”

Trying new, unexpected things and learning throughout the research process has created dynamic experiences for Erskine, Zhang and Daly. From Tufts to the world beyond, student research is an accessible way for undergraduates to make an impact.

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Undergraduate Summer Research Programs

We believe that the opportunities in data science should be open to all, so we are committed to diversity and inclusion. One of the roles of the institute will be to create data science research experiences for Undergraduate students. Our partners in this are

• The Center for STEM Diversity at Tufts  
• Tufts Summer Scholars

Undergraduate students at Tufts who are interested in applying for summer research experiences in data science should do one of two things, depending on whether they have already identified a faculty research mentor or not:

• If you have already identified a faculty research mentor, apply together to Tufts Summer Scholars, and check the box that says it is ok for other programs at Tufts to consider your application. 
• If you have not identified a faculty research mentor (or even if you have) please apply to  the    T-TRIPODS DIAMONDS program and we will make the match. Please see the T-Tripods Diamonds page for more details about the program and how to apply, application deadlines and program dates.  
• Also, you may want to consider the new Tufts math department  NSF REU summer program, including some data science projects. More information is here: https://sites.tufts.edu/verseimreu/

Undergraduate Students from any institution:  we are excited to announce one almost brand new and one entirely brand new NSF REU summer program opportunities at Tufts.  Please note: by the requirements of NSF funded REU sites, you must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident to be elligible to apply. 

              Visiting  and Early Scholars’ Experiences in Mathematics Research Experiences for Undergraduates (VERSEIM-REU) is an intensive ten-week summer research program in applied and pure mathematics. VERSEIM is sponsored by the  National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates under grant DMS 2050412 and the Department of Mathematics at Tufts University.  More information is here:  https://sites.tufts.edu/verseimreu/

The DIAMONDS REU at Tufts is our newest REU program. directed and managed by Tufts Center for STEM Diversity (CSD), in collaboration with the Tufts Computer Science department and Tufts T-TRIPODS Institute.  The DIAMONDS REU aims to provide a directed, intensive and mentored opportunity in Data Science, and we are committed to  open pathways to data science research to under-represented undergraduate students. This REU will emphasize the interdisciplinary aspects of data science, enabling students to develop skills in data analysis, analytical thinking, and problem solving, as well as technical presentation development and delivery.  Our DIAMONDS REU program will engage a diverse cohort of 10 undergraduate students in interdisciplinary data science-driven discovery and innovation, combining an individual research experience well integrated into both the faculty mentor’s research group and the larger DIAMONDS community. The centerpiece of DIAMONDS is for the student DIAMONDS Scholars to have the opportunity to work with a faculty research mentor on a data science research problem. During the REU program, the science experience is coupled with: (1) a rich set of programming around how to approach the research to get the most out of the time, (2) professional development experiences focused on pathways to graduate school or data science careers in industry, and (3) social events aimed at building a strong peer mentoring cohort among the students of the program. As DIAMONDS Scholars progress through the program, students will gain (1) the ability to critically analyze data and synthesize information; (2) awareness of tools for data analysis; (3) the ability to critique and generate material for scientific communication; and (4) awareness of guidelines for ethical conduct in research. Students must be US Citizens or Permanent residents who have spent at least 1 semester as an undergraduate student before the start of the summer program, and will be spending at least 1 semester after the summer program as an undergraduate student before they graduate. For more details, see:

h ttps://www.nsfetap.org/award/191/opportunity/563

BA/BS in Cognitive and Brain Science

Cognitive and Brain Science (CBS) is an inherently interdisciplinary area, drawing on psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy of mind, computer science, and biology. A Cognitive and Brain Science degree provides an excellent preparation for careers in the sciences, computer fields, health professions, law, and education.

Students majoring in Cognitive and Brain Science usually receive a Bachelor of Science degree.

Learning Objectives

Program Requirements and Policies

• A total of thirteen courses are required for the CBS major. Unless specified otherwise, courses counted towards the major must be at least three (3) semester-hour credits.
• Students scoring 4 or 5 on the Psychology AP exam, 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate (Higher Level) exam, or A or B on the GCE A-level exam earn credit for PSY 1. In other words, the student earns 3 semester-hour credits and does not need to take PSY 1 for the major. Students may substitute Child Study and Human Development 1 for PSY 1 for prerequisite purposes, but they must take an additional psychology course in order to reach the 13 courses required for the major.
• In addition to the required courses, Cognitive and Brain Science majors are encouraged to complete a senior research project which entails either (a) completing an honors thesis in Psychology, Child Study and Human Development, Computer Science, or Philosophy; (b) completing a year-long research experience with a faculty member in one of these departments or with a faculty member in the Neuroscience Department of the Medical School; or (c) completing a faculty-supervised review paper of the literature on a particular issue within one of these areas. Planning for such projects should begin by the end of junior year.
• Students are encouraged, after consultation with their advisor, to augment the Cognitive and Brain Science major by taking electives in Psychology, Anthropology (150), Biology (13, 14, 116, 134), and Math (11, 12, 13, 121). 
• Please note that CBS majors with an advisor from a department other than Psychology should follow that department's policies for completing the senior degree sheet paperwork. The second signature on that degree sheet will come from a representative of that department, not from Psychology.

Course Requirements

The following seven required courses:

• Psychology 1: Introduction to Psychology
• Psychology 9: Introduction to Cognitive and Brain Sciences
• Psychology 31: Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (or one of: BIO 132, CEE 6/CH 36, CEE 156, CSHD 140)
• Psychology 32: Experimental Psychology
• Psychology 64 (cross listed as Philosophy 15/Linguistics 15): Introduction to Linguistics
• Computer Science 11: Introduction to Computer Science
• Psychology 195: Senior Seminar in Cognitive & Brain Science (Please note: PSY 195 meets in the fall semester only)

Note:  The CBS steering committee strongly recommends that CBS majors, especially those seeking a greater emphasis in the computation side of Cognitive Science, also take Computer Science 15 and Computer Science/Math 61 as many (but not all) upper level Computer Science courses require these courses as prerequisites.

One course from each of the following three groups:

GROUP A Psychology 11: Developmental Psychology Psychology 25: Physiological Psychology Psychology 26: Animal Learning and Cognition Psychology 27: Perception Psychology 28: Cognitive Psychology Psychology 29: Human Neuropsychology Psychology 103: Brain & Behavior CSHD 51: Intellectual Development of Young Children

GROUP B Computer Science 15: Data Structures Computer Science 131: Artificial Intelligence Computer Science 133: Human-Robot Interaction Computer Science 134: Computational Models in Cognitive Science Computer Science 138: Reinforcement Learning Computer Science 139: Ethics for AI Robotics Computer Science 150AA: Assistive Algorithms Computer Science 150DR: Developmental Robotics Computer Science 150NLP: Natural Language Processing Computer Science 171: Human Computer Interaction Classics 161: Intro to Digital Humanities Classics 162: Natural Language Processing and the Human Record

GROUP C Philosophy 3: Language and Mind Philosophy 33 or 103: Logic Philosophy 191-02: Foundations of Cognitive Science Psychology 150: Semantics Psychology 151: Syntactic Theory Psychology 155: Phonological Theory

A total of three courses taken from at least two of the following groups  (only one of which may be independent study/directed research; also note that courses used to fulfill Part II. requirements above may not be double counted toward Part III. as well):

GROUP A Psychology 80: Psychology of Music Psychology 91/92: Research in Psychology Psychology 103: Brain and Behavior Psychology 112: Biological Basis of Psychopathology Psychology 116: Psychology of Fear Psychology 117: Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Psychology 118: Topics in Infancy Psychology 121: Applying Cognition to Education Psychology 122: Cognitive Aging Psychology 123: Psychopharmacology Psychology 124: Cognition of Games People Play Psychology 126: Origins of Cognition Psychology 127: Behavioral Endocrinology Psychology 128: Nutrition and Behavior Psychology 129: Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology 131: Neuropsychology of Cognition Psychology 139: Social Cognition Psychology 140: Probabilistic Models of Perception and Cognition Psychology 142: Seminar in Affective Neuroscience Psychology 144: Memory and Retention Psychology 145: Mental Representation Psychology 146: Comparative Cognition and Behavior Psychology 147: Multitasking Psychology 153: Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Processing Psychology 154: Psychosis Psychology 156: Long Term Memory Processes Psychology 157: Multisensory Perception Psychology 191/192: Independent Research in Psychology Psychology 199: Senior Honors Thesis Biology 134: Neurobiology

GROUP B Psychology 149: Psychology of Language Psychology 150: Semantics Psychology 151: Syntactic Theory Psychology 152: The Psychology of Bilingualism Psychology 153: Biological Foundations of Language Psychology 155: Phonological Theory (if not taken to fulfill II. C above) Psychology 180: Music, Language, and the Brain CSHD 114: Children and New Technologies CSHD 145: Technological Tools for Thinking and Learning CSHD 151: Advanced Intellectual Development of Young Children CSHD 152: Development of Thought and Language CSHD 155: The Young Child's Development of Language CSHD 156: Developmental Neuroscience and Disorders of Development CSHD 177: Bilingual Studies CSHD 195: Developmental Disorders in Language and Reading CSHD 250: Reading, Dyslexia, and the Brain Education 114 (cross-listed as Linguistics/German 114): Linguistic Approaches to Second Language Acquisition

GROUP C Computer Science 86: Object Oriented Programming for Graphical User Interfaces Computer Science 93: Directed Study Computer Science 94: Directed Study Computer Science 105: Programming Languages Computer Science 131: Artificial Intelligence Computer Science 133: Human-Robot Interaction Computer Science 134: Computational Models in Cognitive Science Computer Science 135: Machine Learning and Data Mining Computer Science 138: Reinforcement Learning Computer Science 139: Ethics for AI Robotics Computer Science 150AA: Assistive Algorithms Computer Science 150AAC: Accessible and Assistive Computing Computer Science 150DR: Developmental Robotics Computer Science 150NLP: Natural Language Processing Computer Science 170: Computation Theory Computer Science 171: Human Computer Interaction Computer Science 177: Visualization Computer Science 178: Visual Analytics Computer Science 193: Directed Study Computer Science 194: Directed Study Classics 161: Intro to Digital Humanities Classics 162: Natural Language Processing and the Human Record

GROUP D Philosophy 38: Rational Choice Philosophy 114: Topics in Logic Philosophy 116: Philosophy of Science Philosophy 117: Philosophy of Mind Philosophy 126: Theories of Human Nature Philosophy 130: Moral Philosophy Philosophy/Psychology/Anthropology 132: Cognition of Society and Culture Philosophy 133: Philosophy of Language Philosophy 134: Philosophy of Social Science Philosophy 170: Computation Theory Philosophy 191-02: Foundations of Cognitive Science

Minor in Cognitive & Brain Science or Linguistics

A minor in Cognitive & Brain Science is also available and administered by the Department of  Philosophy . For questions, please contact  Jaouad Elkamouss  or Professor  Brian Epstein .

A minor in Linguistics is also available and administered by the Department of  Philosophy . For questions, please contact  Jaouad Elkamouss  or the Co-Directors of the minor, Professor  Dilip Ninan  and Professor  Ariel Goldberg .

Any full-time faculty member in the Department of Psychology can advise CBS majors.  In addition, full-time faculty members in Computer Science (e.g., Remco Chang , Rob Jacob , Matthias Scheutz , Stephen White ) or Philosophy (e.g., Dan Dennett , Brian Epstein ) can advise CBS majors.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence research at Tufts Computer Science is centered at the  Machine Learning Group  and the  Human-Robot Interaction Lab  with some collaboration between the labs. Our work spans many aspects of AI:

• Learning:  including foundations and algorithms for machine learning and data mining, interdisciplinary applications, and learning from natural language instructions 
• Planning:  including deterministic and decision-theoretic planning, learning for planning, and applying planning to robotic domains 
• Knowledge representation and inference:  including representation, inference algorithms and complexity analysis for propositional problems, and for relational structured domain
• Natural language understanding:  including parsing, semantic and pragmatic analysis, and dialogue processing 
• Agent architectures:  for simulated and robotic agents, including investigations of architectural tradeoffs and novel architectural mechanisms and algorithms for introspection and reflection, fault detection and recovery 
• Cognitive architectures:  for complex computational models of human cognitive functions and for complex artificial agents that interact with humans in natural language
• Multi-agent systems:  including computational middle-ware for artificial virtual and robotic agents, as well as grid-based computational infrastructures and simulation environments
• Human-robot interaction:  including empirical investigations and evaluations of robots interacting with humans in a variety of tasks, using natural language as well as brain-computer interfaces
• Robot/machine ethics:  including foundational work on potential dangers of technology as well as empirical human-robot interaction studies

For more details about AI research at Tufts and ongoing projects, please visit these research websites:

• The Human-Robot Interaction Laboratory
• The Assistive Agent Behavior and Learning Laboratory
• The Multimodal Learning, Interaction, and Perception Laboratory
• The Machine Learning Research Group

BREAKTHROUGH

Psychology & Brain Sciences

Initiative for Neural Science, Disease & Engineering

Tufts neuro network.

Tufts Neuro Network is a student -run organization seeking to facilitate undergraduate research in neuroscience laboratories.

It connects students from a variety of academic disciplines with faculty and graduate student mentors engaged in active neuroscience research projects.

The organization hosts events that encourage community and dialogue between Tufts campuses.

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Tufts University Medford Guides: Subject & Course Guide Directory

About guides.

Subject Guides  include resources for your discipline that have been selected by  Subject Librarians . 

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14 Students Honored with Tufts 2024 Presidential Awards for Civic Life

The Presidential Award for Civic Life is the highest recognition for service, leadership, and civic engagement conferred by Tufts University. Each year, Tisch College, in collaboration with partners from across the University, is proud to help select and celebrate outstanding individuals who combined academic achievement with a profound impact on communities near and far, helping to address some of the biggest challenges in our society.

School of Arts and Sciences

Saffiyah Veronica Masireh Coker, Economics & International Relations, A24

"How can we create joy and take up space? These questions have composed my time at Tufts. Through working with the Africana Center on the Black Women's Empowerment Conference and in other spaces at Tufts, I have seen the power of uplifting and learning from those around you. A love for others has taught me how I want to move through the world. Above all, be curious. Question the structures that exist around you and find like minded people who can grow your visions with you."

Alexandra Tatiana Dingle, International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies, A24

"At the core of my civic engagement lies a profound love for the people and communities that surround me. This affection is embodied within my interactions, whether with fellow students and professors at Tufts or the inspiring youth I've collaborated with in Greece, India, and Jordan. Through embracing others in building solidarity — listening intently to stories, nurturing connections, and immersing myself among diverse settings — I am continuously fueled to contribute to the creation of a more equitable and empowering society where every voice is valued and respected.

I firmly believe that genuine transformation of global systems and conventional protection structures, anchored in principles of peace and inclusivity, hinges on our ability to lead with empathy and compassion. The potential for meaningful change resides within each of our hearts, and it is the prospect of true justice that propels me forward as I strive towards a liberated future."

Adrian Huq, Applied Environmental Studies, A24

"I am honored to be a recipient of the 2024 Presidential Award for Civic Life. My experience with leadership and civic engagement began when I was a junior in high school, and I am proud to have still continued my work on localized climate action through policy change and education with the same organizations throughout my time at Tufts despite being outside of my home state."

RuiSha Kingston, Biology, Psychology, and Environmental Studies, A24

"Community organizations, businesses, and university partners have taught me that curiosity, creativity, and relationship-building are fundamental in pushing for a more inclusive and justice-centered environmental space. I've found a lot of joy in connecting with others who have various backgrounds and building a bridge between our different perspectives. Equitable and meaningful collaboration often leads to innovative solutions to real-world problems. I'm looking forward to bringing these lessons with me throughout the rest of my civic engagement journey."

Sabah Lokhandwala, Political Science and Science Technology and Society, A24

"My work is informed by the communities who raised me and continue to teach me about advocacy, care, and progress. My Muslim and South Asian communities at Tufts and beyond have reminded me the importance of civic engagement and how our shared histories should inform and push us to take social and political action. None of us exist in a vacuum and we have a moral and civic responsibility to nurture and protect each other. I hope we all continue to work towards a world free from oppression by means of community. "

Wanci Chouaffe Nana, Biopsychology, A24

"I’m deeply grateful for the blessings God has given me, feeling called to use these gifts to contribute to my communities. It’s become clear to me that keeping this vision to myself wouldn’t be right. We’re often told about how different we are from each other, but I’ve come to see that we share more similarities than we’re led to believe. I think those in power use our supposed differences to keep us from discovering our real strength, which is found when we work together. This award recognizes that when we lean on what God has taught us about unity and caring for one another, we can achieve incredible things for both individuals and the collective. It’s a call to action for all of us to come together, and to create communities that thrive on compassion and cooperation."

School of Engineering

Matthew Patrick Ung, Computer Science, E24

"In our increasingly digital world, I believe engineers have many unique opportunities to effect positive change. From my work in building software for community organizations through JumboCode to my research in providing nonprofits with access to cybersecurity support, I am proud that I’ve been able to use my technical skill set to support Tufts’ community members. I believe it is through this intersection of innovation and social responsibility that we, both as students and as future leaders, can make a meaningful impact."

Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Muhammed Shabab Anwar, MIB, F24

"I believe your civic engagements are the most true form of expressions of  your convictions that you can see evolve and come to fruition. I started as one of the Co-Leads of  Fletcher South Asia Society, and in my last semester I contribute to six students organizations and have founded Fletcher Muslim Student Association. I have held events where I saw a foot-fall of more that 250 students and 5 students, both equally challenging to organize and fundraise for."

Allen Chacko Nelson, MIB, F24

"Life is like a Brachistochrone curve, no matter where you are in life, you always end up together in the end. So the focus should be on return on intention over investment."

Roseanna "Rosie" Soto, MALD, F24

"My work and service is inspired by my friends and the student body at the Fletcher School and the Tufts community, whom have taught me so much about leadership. Building community, supporting each other, and bringing joy are goals that drive my actions, with the aim of making a meaningful impact. I aspire for our community to continue to be inclusive, welcoming, impactful, and engaged. I'm grateful for the opportunities to express myself and for the kindness from others."

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Jaiveer Singh, Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning (MA), AG24

"Receiving this prestigious award is truly humbling. I dedicate it to all those who have inspired me with their grace, humility, and unwavering commitment to the greater good and community. Their selfless service towards a gentle cause has ignited a fire within me to do more and be more for the betterment of society. I hope we appreciate the beauty of life and strive for justice, for the nourishment and prosperity of all."

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

School of Medicine

Anna K. Daoud, MD/MPH, M24

"During the long days and nights, I am incredibly thankful for the relationships that I have built throughout this journey. These relationships span from my family, whose experiences as immigrants shaped my passion for health equity, to my undergraduate professors, who established my sociology and public health-driven frame of reference for medicine, and to my patients, faculty, and peers I met during my time at Tufts. I advise other students, in any profession, to listen to the narratives of their patients, peers, mentors, and faculty as these stories will push you further in diagnosis, care, and strengthening relationships more than any piece of solitary quantitative data. Medicine does not occur in a vacuum. Abortion is healthcare."

Shantiera Nicole Taylor, MD, M24

"Entering medical school, my passion for service was deeply ingrained, fueled by the distressing inequities pervading medical care and affecting patient outcomes. Engaging in enriching civic activities within the Tufts community has been nothing short of illuminating — shedding light on the indispensable role a physician plays when tightly integrated into the community's fabric. Serving as a physician leader within the community is both an honor and a privilege, offering firsthand experience of the challenges patients encounter in accessing quality healthcare — from transportation and housing status to pervasive stigma and bias. This involvement also provides the added benefit of fostering genuine relationships with individuals, which in turn aids in decreasing distrust within the medical system.

These experiences have provided profound insights into tailoring healthcare delivery, advocating for better dissemination of healthcare services, and fostering trust within the healthcare system. Each civic engagement has been a catalyst for personal growth, teaching me to personalize care according to individual needs and to prioritize empathetic listening without judgment to achieve patient-centered outcomes.

As I embark on my surgical residency, I am unwavering in my commitment to serve as a physician leader within the community. My goal is to deepen my understanding of the community's needs and to strive for continual improvement in healthcare delivery. Through continued engagement and dedication, I aim to contribute to the provision of equitable and high-quality healthcare for all."

School of Dental Medicine

Arika Neal, DMD, D24

"One of the most valuable things I've learned through my civic engagement experience here at Tufts is to be able to lean on the community I work with. Service is not a sole job. It's just as important to make yourself vulnerable and share what support you need to fulfill the mission or goal of a service project. Part of what drives me are the stories and experiences I hear from others. Some stories make me laugh and feel warm; others, I feel empathy and compassion. It's the human connection. Part of being human is continually growing; I believe that in order to do this, we must deepen our understanding of one another."

2024 Presidential Awards for Civic Life Recipients

The Presidential Award for Civic Life is the highest recognition for service, leadership, and civic engagement conferred by Tufts University. Each year, Tisch College, in collaboration with partners from across the University, is proud to help select and celebrate outstanding individuals who combined academic achievement with a profound impact on communities near and far, helping to address some of the biggest challenges in our society. This year's recipients from the School of Medicine are Anna K. Daoud and  Shantiera Nicole Taylor, learn more about them below.

Anna K. Daoud, MD/MPH, M24

"During the long days and nights, I am incredibly thankful for the relationships that I have built throughout this journey. These relationships span from my family, whose experiences as immigrants shaped my passion for health equity, to my undergraduate professors, who established my sociology and public health-driven frame of reference for medicine, and to my patients, faculty, and peers I met during my time at Tufts. I advise other students, in any profession, to listen to the narratives of their patients, peers, mentors, and faculty as these stories will push you further in diagnosis, care, and strengthening relationships more than any piece of solitary quantitative data. Medicine does not occur in a vacuum. Abortion is healthcare."

Shantiera Nicole Taylor, MD, M24

"Entering medical school, my passion for service was deeply ingrained, fueled by the distressing inequities pervading medical care and affecting patient outcomes. Engaging in enriching civic activities within the Tufts community has been nothing short of illuminating — shedding light on the indispensable role a physician plays when tightly integrated into the community's fabric. Serving as a physician leader within the community is both an honor and a privilege, offering firsthand experience of the challenges patients encounter in accessing quality healthcare — from transportation and housing status to pervasive stigma and bias. This involvement also provides the added benefit of fostering genuine relationships with individuals, which in turn aids in decreasing distrust within the medical system.

These experiences have provided profound insights into tailoring healthcare delivery, advocating for better dissemination of healthcare services, and fostering trust within the healthcare system. Each civic engagement has been a catalyst for personal growth, teaching me to personalize care according to individual needs and to prioritize empathetic listening without judgment to achieve patient-centered outcomes.

As I embark on my surgical residency, I am unwavering in my commitment to serve as a physician leader within the community. My goal is to deepen my understanding of the community's needs and to strive for continual improvement in healthcare delivery. Through continued engagement and dedication, I aim to contribute to the provision of equitable and high-quality healthcare for all."

2024 Accepted Students Day: A Story in Photos

Prospective Tufts Gordon Institute students enjoyed a day full of campus tours, conversations with current students, the Tufts $100k New Ventures Competition Finals, and even bowling at this year's Accepted Students Day! This was a great opportunity to meet other accepted students in person, learn more about our programs from students and faculty, and see all that Tufts Gordon Institute has to offer. 

Get a view into Accepted Students Day through photos of the day:

We kicked off the morning with a tour of the Tufts University Medford campus, stopping first to visit the Career Services office, where Chris Di Fronzo, Director of Career Services, spoke about the many opportunities and resources available to students during their studies and after graduation. In addition to assisting students with career planning, job searches, and more, Career Services works closely with Tufts Gordon Institute through our mentorship program, as well as co-op opportunities that will be available for all on-campus graduate students. 

Saying goodbye to Chris, we crossed the campus green to visit Jumbo the Elephant. Jill Parlee and Teresa Aloi of the Tufts Gordon Institute Programs & Operations team recited the story of how Jumbo came to be the Tufts University mascot. And of course, no campus tour is complete without a group photo in front of Jumbo!

In the Campus Center, we took a short pause to warm up and enjoy coffee and tea from The Sink, a 100% student-run café that serves beverages and snacks throughout the academic school year. 

Our tour concluded with a walk past the library, rooftop garden, and down the iconic Tufts University stairs at the front of campus.

Accepted Students Day continued with sessions for each graduate degree where students spoke to program directors Kevin Oye, Director of the MS in Innovation & Management and Executive Director of Tufts Gordon Institute, and Sam Liggero, Director of the MS in Engineering Management and MS in Technology Management & Leadership . Students asked Kevin and Sam individual questions about the programs as well as spoke with current students to hear their unique perspectives on being a Tufts Gordon Institute student.

We regrouped and headed to Davis Square for lunch at American Flatbread. Here, students were able to get to know some of Tufts Gordon Institute's staff and faculty members while enjoying pizza and bowling. It was a fun way to end the morning, while giving accepted students a chance to get to know each other a little better! 

Finally, students had the option of joining the excitement at that night's Tufts $100k New Ventures Competition Finals ! Students who stayed for the event were able to speak a bit more with our current students and cheer on many of our current MS in Innovation & Management students who were competing in the competition. 

We were thrilled to meet so many of this year's accepted students in person, as well share with them a firsthand look at what academic life at Tufts Gordon Institute is like! We look forward to seeing many of their faces back on campus for the Fall 2024 semester.

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Arrowstreet Capital | Research Educational Event

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Interested in working in a collaborative, analytical and data-driven organization? We encourage you to learn more about Arrowstreet Capital by attending our virtual educational session on April 17th!

Arrowstreet Capital, LP is a privately held Boston-based investment firm that manages global equity portfolios for institutional investors around the world. Founded in 1999, we currently manage approximately $140B for more than 200 clients and have over 400 employees. We are a research-driven investment management firm that takes a quantitative, systematic approach to managing our clients’ portfolios. We aim to deliver sustainable alpha and be a trusted fiduciary for our clients.

Our intern program combines theory, practice and technology and provides significant insights into quantitative investment management. Our goal is for our interns to make tangible and significant contributions to the team, while learning about markets, software development practices and quantitative research technologies in the context of model-driven asset management.

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