As WVUs neuroscience major has continued to grow, the need for faculty has as well.

Last spring, WVU introduced the first neuroscience major in West Virginia. Cole Vonder Haar, Behavioral Neuroscience Search Committee chair, said since introducing it, dozens of students have declared it as their major.

The major is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Psychology and Biology departments, Vonder Haar said. It is in its first year, but we already have approximately 60 majors and expect that to grow considerably over the next several years.

To keep up with the growth of this program, the University is in the process of hiring two new faculty members to conduct research as well as develop and lead the majors classes. Kris Martens, coordinator for the neuroscience major, said although the University is still in the interviewing stage of the hiring process, the applicants so far have each had their own unique specialties.

One of the most exciting things about the neuroscientists we have been interviewing is they have different expertise [such as] drug addiction, neurodevelopment, stress and hormones, Martens said. While they are all well equipped to teach the courses we currently offer at WVU and the ones I am developing, they also have the opportunity to create some new courses that our undergraduates will find really exciting.

Martens said the variety of expertise in the field will be helpful in teaching the courses that are being developed, as well as create new courses of their own. The new faculty will also bring in their own research projects, which may allow undergraduates with research opportunities to get real-world experience.

Vonder Haar said the new additions to the department will likely be announced within the next few months.

Although our search is still ongoing, we would hope to be able to announce new hires to the University before the end of the semester, Vonder Haar said.

These new hires will fit into a growing neuroscience community at WVU, Vonder Haar said. Many of our applicants are excited about the strong pool of undergraduate talent we have here at WVU.

The field of neuroscience is something that has grown exponentially at WVU. Michelle Frankot, WVU graduate student, said growth within the department will continue to allow WVU to make breakthroughs in the field.

There are also opportunities to get more involved in data science in careers such as biostatistics, Frankot said. Some students may go on to medical school in hopes of being neurologists, neurosurgeons or psychiatrists.

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Faculty to be hired to meet growing neuroscience major demands - The Daily Athenaeum - thedaonline