Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN)

• Model neuronal structure and simulate action-potential conduction

• Map brain regions and investigate effects of lobe damage

• Test neuroplasticity through a mirror-tracing activity

• Measure reaction time, reflexes, and lateral preferences

• Compare memory strategies including repetition and deep processing

• Complete and present a systematic review of current neuroscience research

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain how neuronal communication and brain systems support behavior

• Analyze learning, memory, perception, and cognition through biological evidence

• Synthesize primary research and identify a meaningful gap for future study

Students leave with completed experimental activities, a scientific review and presentation, and a stronger framework for understanding the brain and behavior.

Neuroscience asks students to connect multiple levels of explanation, from membrane channels and neurotransmission to learning, memory, perception, and behavior. Models and experiments help them see how biological mechanisms can be investigated rather than treated as abstract facts.

The research capstone develops scientific literacy. Students compare primary sources, identify what a study can support, and locate gaps that justify new questions. These skills matter in biology, psychology, medicine, data science, and evidence-based health communication. Together, these skills strengthen careful reasoning, responsible professional judgment, and the ability to revise a conclusion when new evidence changes the picture.

This course is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are interested in neuroscience, psychology, biology, medicine, cognition, or research. It fits students who want both hands-on demonstrations and a rigorous introduction to reading scientific literature.

Participants should be ready to work through biological mechanisms, collect and interpret simple data, collaborate on activities, and complete substantial research. The capstone expects sustained engagement with primary sources, making the course a strong fit for academically motivated students. Success depends on careful preparation, steady participation, and respect for classmates’ perspectives throughout the course.

Based on students surveyed in Summer Discovery’s 2026 program at the University of Michigan.

Programs on the University of Michigan campus give high-school students the experience of exploring an academic interest in Ann Arbor, a college town where campus and community life blend together. Tree-lined streets, downtown bookstores and cafés, the Nichols Arboretum, and trails near the Huron River create different ways to experience the setting beyond class.

Students learn alongside peers, navigate a large and active campus, and gain independence through everyday choices in a new environment. The experience helps students understand what university life can feel like while giving them space to deepen an interest without having every next step decided. For families, the program offers a meaningful combination of academic depth, community, personal growth, and clearer direction about what a student may want to study or pursue next.

Neuroscientists, psychologists, physicians, biomedical researchers, cognitive scientists, and data specialists study the brain from different perspectives. Their work may involve laboratory experiments, behavioral measurement, clinical questions, imaging, or computational analysis.

Students sample those approaches through biological models, reaction and memory activities, research evaluation, and a systematic review. The course provides a grounded introduction to neuroscience, biopsychology, medicine, psychology, and research-intensive academic pathways. The work also shows how specialists collaborate across roles and communicate important evidence-based decisions to colleagues, clients, organizations, or the public in complex professional settings.