UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1090 | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Submission information

Submission Number: 1090

Submission ID: 20046

Submission UUID: ba446fd0-f395-4062-a413-fbca563004d5

Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal

Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=M0f3Uz08e6R67r473yVBMZ9SLpY2pZhLVM8gQ-O3Au4

Created: Wed, 08/06/2025 - 10:13 AM

Completed: Wed, 08/06/2025 - 10:13 AM

Changed: Fri, 09/12/2025 - 02:32 PM

Remote IP address: 128.186.181.26

Submitted by: Anonymous

Language: English

Is draft: No

Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal

Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal

Research Mentor Information

Primary Research Mentor Name Aaron Wilber

Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns He/Him/His

When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Dr.

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) wilber@psy.fsu.edu

Position Title Faculty

FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences

FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Psychology, Program in Neuroscience

Headshot (optional) {Empty}

Additional Research Mentor(s)

Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Shawn Moseley

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns He/Him/His

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific? Mr.

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) moseley@psy.fsu.edu

Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) {Empty}

Overall Project Details

Title of the Project Brain Systems for Spatial Orientation in Health and Disease

Project Keywords Alzheimer's disease, spatial orientation, rodent animal disease models

Are you currently looking for research assistants? No

Number of Research Assistants Needed 1

Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Neuroscience, Psychology, Biology, Computer Science, Math

Project Location: On FSU Main Campus

If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? {Empty}

Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Partially Remote

Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 10-12

Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)

Overall Research Project Description The goal of this project is to explore whether problems with memory reactivation—when the brain replays patterns of activity from a learning task during sleep—might be linked to the trouble with spatial orientation seen in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease.
Another project looks at which brain systems help rats figure out where they are and how to get around. In this study, we’ll try to temporarily shut down these systems using drugs or optogenetics (a method that uses light to control brain activity) to see how it affects their sense of direction

Research Tasks - Assist with analyzing brain recording and behavioral data for transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
- Assist in data collection by performing behavior experiments.
- Section and stain brain tissue and assist with quantifying positive cells in specific brain regions.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Basic science background recommended. We will teach needed skills.

Mentoring Philosophy We offer interactive and intellectually stimulating learning experiences by developing customized training plans that align with both the student's goals and the needs of our laboratory. I meet with students at least bi-weekly after lab meetings, and more frequently for those with intensive training plans. Each plan is shaped by the student's interests and begins to take form during the interview process, where I learn about their aspirations and identify potential project matches within the lab. The interview also helps us recognize students who bring unique perspectives and backgrounds that enrich our group. These varied viewpoints foster more innovative ideas and effective solutions to the challenges we face, while also enhancing the overall training experience and expanding the collective knowledge of our team.

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://wilber.neuro.fsu.edu/

Please add any additional information here (if applicable): {Empty}

Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No

Roundtable times and Zoom links {Empty}

UROP Program Elements

Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes

UROP Performance Evaluation Yes

Materials Grant Yes

UROP Poster Presentation Yes

{Empty}

Year 2025

update url https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=M0f3Uz08e6R67r473yVBMZ9SLpY2pZhLVM8gQ-O3Au4