Adjunct Lecturer, Neuroscience & Behavior
About The Position
The Neuroscience & Behavior Department at Barnard College seeks two part-time instructors to teach one of the following undergraduate courses during the 2026-2027 academic year. Fall 2026 NSBV BC3100 Contemporary Topics in Neuroscience: This seminar course examines emerging and debated topics in contemporary neuroscience, with an emphasis on mechanisms relevant to learning and memory and neuropsychiatric disorders. Students will read and critique primary research articles and reviews spanning neural ensembles and memory, fear learning and generalization, stress and trauma, sex differences, circuit tools for causal inference and connectivity, neuroimmune mechanisms, aging-related cognitive decline, single-cell and spatial genomics, brain–body interactions, and emerging therapeutics. The course also introduces AI-enabled approaches for analyzing and interpreting neuroscience data. The course emphasizes experimental logic, figure interpretation, scientific communication, and responsible translation from animal models to human conditions. Fall 2026 NSBV BC3378 Neuroscience Frontier: This course introduces students to a bold, high-risk, high-reward framework for thinking about neuroscience, tracing the field's most transformative discoveries from the action potential through the present day. Each week, students will examine landmark breakthroughs drawn from the last century of neuroscience through the lens of unconventional thinking that prioritizes ambitious questions over incremental research. Students will engage in guided discussions analyzing how risk-tolerant scientific culture has historically driven paradigm shifts, and how those lessons can be applied to today’s unanswered questions. Additionally, scientific discussions will be had about unconventional ideas of memory, consciousness, bioelectricity, brain organoids, and neural regeneration. By the end of the course, students are expected to not only understand the history of modern neuroscience and exciting discoveries in the field today, but to articulate and defend their own vision for what a high-risk, high-reward research agenda in the field might look like. Students are expected to contribute actively to the discussion. Exact instructional assignments and other academic responsibilities are determined by the Chair.
Requirements
- Terminal degree in a related discipline, with all requirements for the degree completed by the time of hiring offer.
- Complete applications submitted via Workday.
- Upload CV.
- Upload Statement of interest (including teaching philosophy, most relevant prior teaching experience, advanced pedagogical or relevant training).
- Identify three references, including one with direct knowledge of their teaching capabilities (for finalists).
Responsibilities
- Teach one undergraduate course during the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Examine emerging and debated topics in contemporary neuroscience, with an emphasis on mechanisms relevant to learning and memory and neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Read and critique primary research articles and reviews.
- Introduce students to a bold, high-risk, high-reward framework for thinking about neuroscience.
- Examine landmark breakthroughs drawn from the last century of neuroscience through the lens of unconventional thinking.
- Engage in guided discussions analyzing how risk-tolerant scientific culture has historically driven paradigm shifts.
- Discuss unconventional ideas of memory, consciousness, bioelectricity, brain organoids, and neural regeneration.
- Articulate and defend their own vision for what a high-risk, high-reward research agenda in the field might look like.
- Contribute actively to the discussion.
- Fulfill other academic responsibilities as determined by the Chair.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Mid Level
