Toward a Better Neuroscience Tomorrow: Thoughts on The Society for Neuroscience and the Undergraduate

In her guest editorial, Ann Stuart rightfully addresses the lack of resources offered by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) devoted to both graduate and undergraduate neuroscience education. Conversely, many of us may not be aware of the efforts that SfN has made in recent years to improve what might be characterized as “Academic Career Professional Development” and the involvement that Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) has had in this area. Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience was indeed fortunate to gain a true voice for undergraduate neuroscience education when FUN member Joanne Berger-Sweeney of Wellesley College was elected to SfN national council in 2002. In 2003, subsequent to the unveiling of SfN’s new strategic plan, council established several working groups, and it was Joanne who co-chaired the Working Group on Professional Development (WGPD) for the years of her term on council. In the initial announcement for the working groups (see www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=neuroscienceQuarterly _03winter_strategicplan), the charge was as follows: