Shelley Batts is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at the University of Michigan. She studies hair cell regeneration in the cochlea, and is trying to finish that quixotic quest called 'thesis.' She lies awake at night pondering how science intersects with politics, culture, policy, money, medicine, and religion in an attempt to be more than just a niche scientist sitting in the oh-so-lovely ivory tower. Follow me and my parrot, Pepper, on our quest to finish my PhD, land a post-doc, and stay sane.
Steve Higgins is a psychology graduate student at an online university. He hopes that the three weeks and $29.95 that he is spending on his Ph.D. will get him a job at a Tier 1 research university. Do online universities have postdocs? Ok...just kidding, Steve is really a Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying high level vision. You know... stuff like scene & object perception.
While not an official contributer to 'Of Two Minds,' Shelley's sidekick is an African Grey parrot named Pepper. His heros are Irene Pepperberg, Alex, and Rachel Carson. He spends his time learning Mandarin and writing the Great American novel.
"Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth, are never alone or weary of life." ~Rachel Carson
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May 15, 2008
Category: Health
So what's the story with the big O? Scientific American has the full story. Here's the main points to get you warmed up though: Principles of Pleasure * Sexual desire and orgasm are subject to various influences on the...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 7:11 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and Stuff
Well I'm finally done with VSS it was long and stressful... but mostly fun. Here's a couple pictures... After all this fun I had to get my game face on and do a talk. I've given a lot of...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 6:52 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Books
There is a huuuuge sale on science books (and other categories...literature theory, anthro, whatever) at Columbia Press. They are all well above 50% off. It looks like there are a bunch of interesting titles. Check it out!...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 9:31 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 13, 2008
Category: Brains and Stuff
Announcing the 34th annual meeting of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology June 26-29, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Registration is now open; deadline Thursday, June 5 -- 12:00pm EST Note that early registration is suggested, as the reserved...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 9:40 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Brains and Stuff
Tempt Fate, and Take a Risk Superstition Obstacle Course Opens Friday, June 13th Are You Scared? June 13 - September 1, 2008 For many people, Friday the 13th suggests bad luck -- but is it really tempting fate or...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 9:35 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 12, 2008
Category: Brains and Stuff
Right now I'm about to, or already am, standing at a podium to give a talk at the Vision Sciences Society annual meeting (better known as VSS) in Naples Florida. Wish me luck! Here's the exciting abstract: Popping in and...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 10:28 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 2, 2008
Category: Brains and Stuff
Delusions are the strangest things... Once, back in the day, when I was interning in Ted Kennedy's press office we got a call from a woman (this was a pretty usual occurrence) demanding to know why the CIA, et....
Posted by Steve Higgins at 3:27 PM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 1, 2008
Category: Brains and Stuff
I love antique anatomical drawings of the brain. I even have a couple in my office that I should probably take a picture of to show off to you guys. These illustrations from Japan are particularly interesting. According to Pink...
Posted by Steve Higgins at 6:12 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
