A supportive and collaborative research environment led by graduate researchers
Dartmouth provides a unique research environment – a major R01 research university embedded within an intimate liberal arts college. Our faculty focus on being accessible and mentoring students while conducting world-leading research.
We strive for a non-hierarchical training environment to answer the big questions in neuroscience. Our cutting-edge research complex is nestled in the beautiful Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont. The Appalachian Trail is just a short stroll from your lab bench!
Small town community with world-class researchers and state-of-the-art instrumentation
Integrative Neuroscience is an interdepartmental program with faculty from the departments of: Biology, Biochemistry, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Neurology, Psychiatry, Surgery, Epidemiology and Molecular & Systems Biology. This tightly knit group values cross-lab interactions and fosters collaborative publications and mentoring. The relationships you make in your
graduate career will nourish and support your scientific aspirations and personal growth.
Rigorous training in critical thinking, quantitative approaches, scientific communication, and community outreach
We have carefully crafted a curriculum to teach fundamental concepts of basic and translational neuroscience in the context of dynamic, multidisciplinary research and team-based mentoring. Unlike most traditional PhD Neuroscience Programs that divide you into rotation labs after your first week in the program, we treat each entering class of students as a team of next-generation leaders.
As a result, you and the rest of your PhD team will learn together in an intensive hands-on Fall Trimester in Neuroscience that involves modules of advanced neuroscience techniques to explore the molecular and circuit mechanisms that govern nervous system function in health and neurological disorders. Technique modules will be complemented by lectures in molecular and cellular neuroscience and behavioral and systems neuroscience.
To welcome you into the Dartmouth Neuroscience community you will meet all faculty members to learn about their field of inquiry. The goal is to make sure that no scientist at Dartmouth is a stranger to you and is a key step in building your scientific support system.
In the spring, you will be fully immersed in laboratory rotations, free of classroom distractions. You will find your ideal match for a thesis lab and begin your independent research project in the summer of your first year. Importantly, throughout your PhD journey you will engage in weekly scientific colloquia with the entire IND program to discuss primary literature, learn from and network with external speakers, hear about scientific careers and opportunities, and present your own research annually. The yearly presentation and subsequent discussion will let you share your research challenges, celebrate new findings, and equip you with the skills and confidence to succeed in a variety of scientific endeavors after earning your PhD.
The incredible location of Dartmouth
Dartmouth is located in the heart of the Upper Valley nestled along the river that divides the states of New Hampshire and Vermont. With the White Mountains to the east and the Green Mountains to the west, recreational opportunities are abundant. Did we mention we’re located just off the world-famous Appalachian Trail?
In addition to the world-famous Appalachian Trail, we have our own local hiking, Nordic skiing, and mountain biking trails minutes from the lab. Dartmouth Outdoor Programs offers kayak and canoe rentals, cabin stays, and classes in any outdoor activity you could imagine. In winter you can be on the slopes and enjoying downhill skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway in only 20 minutes.
Although we love the outdoors, sometimes you want a break from all that natural beauty. The Upper Valley’s restaurants, shops, and live music venues provide plenty of options to unwind.
Our students also organize trips to Montreal, Canada or Portland, Maine. If you’re feeling spontaneous, hop aboard the Dartmouth Coach bus which makes multiple daily trips to New York City or Boston and departs right from the Dartmouth green.