Are there a lot of opportunities in Neuroscience research?
That is the field I am studying. #neuroscience
2 answers
Alex’s Answer
Neuroscience is a really exciting field to be in, because it is still very young and there is so much we don't know about the brain. If you are looking at neuroscience, there are a couple of different angles that you can consider. Are you interested in how neurons communicate with one another? Do you want to investigate how the brain is structured? Do you want to learn about how memories are formed or stored? Do you want to research how the brain modulates thinking and emotion? These are just some of the subfields. Since I got my degree in cognitive science over a decade ago, I've been amazed at how much the field has advanced. There is tons of research still to do!
You may want to look outside of the US for research possibilities. My Alma Mater (McGill) has an excellent neuroscience program, and there are also thriving research scenes in Finland, Hungary, Japan, China, and Belgium. If you are looking for a career in academia, be prepared to move to where positions are available!
Andrew’s Answer
Hi Adira,
It depends on where you live, and if you live next to a big city or not/near universities. Depending on the time of the year, there are usually some opportunities at universities. Currently, I work at UIC as a research technologist in a biobehavioral health sciences lab, but the lab is pretty much behavioral neuroscience, and I'm loving it. I'm currently pursuing my PhD in psychology as well. Here is the best I can give: work in a laboratory! I worked at UIUC as an undergraduate research assistant for credit in a behavioral neuroscience lab and it was an awesome experience, plus it gave me some research experience that employers now find valuable. Also look at pharmaceutical companies. I've noticed that in the Chicago area at least, most of the time the neuroscience opportunities in pharma are in molecular neuroscience, but I've been able to find some behavioral and cognitive neuroscience opportunities here and there. Behavioral neuroscience opportunities are harder to find, and cognitive neuroscience opportunities are often in human factors or UX.
I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
Andrew