ENIGMA-U is a free online school focused on neuroscience, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and basic science literacy. It is geared towards advanced high school and entry-level college and university students who are interested in neuroscience and want additional preparation and mentoring. It is open to anyone with internet access.
Our Mission
ENIGMA-U was created to address inequality in the neurosciences. Currently, social and economic barriers can unfairly disadvantage some students. Lack of access to early mentorship has been identified as one of the primary reasons students from historically excluded backgrounds do not finish STEM degrees at the same rate as their peers. Early mentorship is critical both in providing support and encouragement to students and guiding them to develop the necessary skills and knowledge base. ENIGMA-U provides a foundation of knowledge that will prepare students for formal coursework and/or put them in a better position to seek laboratory positions.
Curriculum
The course consists of a series of lectures by experts in the ENIGMA consortium as well as assignments and quizzes. You can go through these lectures at your own pace. At a pace of one hour of lectures per day, it will take about one semester to complete. Topics will include science literacy, clinical disorders, neuroimaging, and programming. Modules listed in red are available now while the others are in preparation. Included below is a breakdown of the course, and the full list of available lectures can be seen here:
We will soon be establishing two separate tracks: neuropsychology and neuroimaging. Both will have a common core curriculum, and all students are welcome to take both tracks. Neuropsychology and neuroimaging will be our two largest modules, likely with 10–20 hours of lectures, and this way students will not be required to complete all of both if they are specifically interested in one or the other.
Module |
Topics Included |
| Introduction | Overview Neuroanatomy Neuroimaging Basics Pop Neuroscience Careers in Science |
| College Prep (optional) | College Application Resources CV/Resume Design Preparing for Job Interviews |
| Science Literacy | The Scientific Process/Study Design Reading Lay Summaries of Science |
| Natural Phenomena | Neurodevelopment Aging Sex Differences |
| Programming | Computer Programming Introduction Linux R Python Matlab |
| Clinical Disorders | ADHD Alzheimer’s Anxiety Aphasia Antisocial Behaviors Autism Bipolar Disorder Dementias Depression Dyslexia Eating Disorders Epilepsy Headache Multiple Sclerosis OCD Parkinson’s PTSD Schizophrenia Stroke Substance Use Disorder TBI/Concussion |
| Statistics | Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics |
| Neuropsychology | Introduction to Neuropsychology Interpretation of Neuropsych Exam Data Selective Attention Sustained Attention Executive Functions and Behavior Decision Making Inhibition Problem Solving Set Shifting Intelligence Verbal Fluency Language Verbal Memory Spatial Memory Working Memory Visuospatial Perception/Construction Processing Speed Balance Social Cognition Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Function Collateral Information Adaptive Function Pediatric Neuropsychology Geriatric Neuropsychology Neurodevelopment Acquired Brain Injury Dementia Performance Validity Symptom Validity Culturally Responsive Care |
| Research Design | Study Design Clinical Research Making Figures/Tables Scientific Writing Data Collection Safety Replication in Science |
| Data Collection | Consent Process MR Safety QC During Scans |
| Neuroimaging Processing | Basic MR Physics MR Modalities T1 MRI dMRI fMRI rsfMRI MRS Image QC FSL FreeSurfer SPM AFNI fMRIPrep MRItrix DSI Studio ExploreDTI Other Toolboxes TMS and Ultrasound Publicly Available Datasets |
| Careers in Science | Neuroscience PhD Psychology PhD Medical School Opportunities with a Bachelor’s Degree |
| Ethics | Authorship CITI Training Neuroethics Mentorship Ethics |
Access to Videos
If you would like access to the videos outside of the official course, all videos can also be found on the ENIGMA-U YouTube channel.