Chuck M
- Research Program Mentor

PhD at University of Texas Austin (UT Austin)

Expertise

Neuroscience of perception and action, statistics, biology, experiment design and data analysis, technical writing, integrative / multi-disciplinary science

Bio

Hi I'm Chuck. Ever since I was a kid, I wondered about how decisions are formed. Do we have free will? This one question took me on a 17-year journey through logic, particle physics, stem cells, sensation and perception, brain imaging, and computational / systems neuroscience. Just one question! I think the most exciting questions are interdisciplinary. What is YOUR question, and how can I help you answer it? When I'm not mentoring or teaching, I love dancing Argentine tango, climbing, hiking with my dog Jasper, and contributing to Wikipedia.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Evolution of body and brain in simulated Braitenberg vehicles

In this hypothetical project, we explore the process of evolution as it unfolds in a simulated environment, using Braitenberg vehicles (simple robots) as our "model organism". We discover how incredibly complex behaviors can arise from simple connections in the brain. We can ask questions like, What is the ideal body size in this environment? How many neurons is enough? Or even, can robots be superstitious? In this integrative project you would learn a bit from a variety of fields, such as psychology, neuroscience, physics, and modeling, and you will learn how to put it all together. Some coding experience is required, but no other special background is needed. Outcomes could include a web-based viewer to showcase the robots (or their brains) in action, or even a research paper addressing one of your questions!

History of the future

In this integrative project, we explore what (might) await us in the future. What predictions have previous authors made, and did they come true? What trends do you see? Where does it lead? Outcomes could include a chapter of a "history" book from the year 2100, an analysis of time travel movies, or a piece of art that expresses what effect these changes may have for life on Earth.

A new golden record

In 1977, NASA sent two spacecrafts, Voyagers I and II, into outer space in hopes that they may be recovered by intelligent life. If you had to create the record today in 2023, what messages would you include and why? Outcomes could include a visual artwork showcasing your design, audio or video of the messages themselves. This integrative project touches on physics, neuroscience, robotics, computing, and life.

Coding skills

Python, Matlab, Javascript

Teaching experience

One-on-one mentorship and tutoring have been my full time job for the past 12 years. I take an integrative approach with each student, because great projects don't always fit into one field! As a graduate student, I served as a graduate-level teaching assistant in statistics, physiology, and perception. I mentored several undergraduate students with their senior honors projects in neuroscience. I also mentored a group of 12 high school students in designing creative ideas for global health initiatives and supervised them in presenting their work to a UN panel.

Credentials

Work experience

The Indie Teacher (2013 - Current)

Private teacher

University of Texas at Austin (2013 - 2013)

Postdoctoral researcher

Education

Tulane University

BS Bachelor of Science (2001)

Physics

Tulane University

MS Master of Science (2003)

Neuroscience

University of Texas Austin (UT Austin)

PhD Doctor of Philosophy (2012)