UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1183

Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Shin Kira
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: he/him
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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): skira@fsu.edu
Position Title: Faculty
FSU College (if applicable): Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Psychology Department
Headshot (optional): https://cre.fsu.edu/system/files/webform/urop_project_proposal_portal/20511/20250804_Psychology_Shin-Kira_Headshot_3X2_SKDB.jpg

Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Neural Mechanisms of Decision-Making and Generalization in Mice Performing Virtual Reality Tasks
Project Keywords: Systems Neuroscience, Mice, Virtual Reality, Decision-making, Two-photon imaging
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
Open to all majors.

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):: In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 8-10 hours
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: During business hours
Overall Research Project Description:
The brain has a remarkable ability to adapt to complex real-world tasks through generalization—the process of using past experiences to make inferences about new objects or situations. Our research investigates how neural circuits support flexible behavior through generalization, using large-scale neural recording and manipulation techniques in mice, along with computational modeling. Through this work, we aim to advance neuroscience, provide insights for developing more adaptive artificial intelligence, and create new therapeutic strategies for cognitive recovery.

In your UROP project, you will assist in building behavioral testing apparatus for virtual reality tasks and train mice to make decisions while navigating a virtual reality environment. You may also participate in experiments to record neural activity from hundreds of neurons simultaneously using two-photon calcium imaging.

Research Tasks:
Building behavioral testing apparatus. 
Training mice on Virtual Reality tasks. 
Analyzing behavioral data. 
Recording neural activity with two-photon calcium imaging. 
Analyzing neural activity.  

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Recommended:
Basic knowledge of neuroscience
Basic programming skills (e.g. MATLAB, Python)
Strong analytical and problem solving skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills

While these skills are recommended, we value a willingness to learn, curiosity, and reliability above all. If you are passionate about our research topic but do not yet have all of these skills, we still encourage you to apply!

Mentoring Philosophy:
Through my mentorship, I focus on fostering students’ critical thinking, scientific communication, and career development. To encourage critical thinking, I advise students to consider alternative interpretations of the results from their work or those in scientific articles. When they encounter issues during their work, I encourage them to identify the cause of the problem and propose solutions independently before I provide my advice and feedback. In terms of scientific communication, I invite students to present their findings at lab meetings and respond to questions from lab members. I also encourage them to share their work through oral or poster presentations at conferences, and I provide support and guidance throughout the process. In addition to regular one-on-one meetings, I plan to hold a review meeting each semester with each student to evaluate their progress and refine their career goals. I will provide support to help students achieve these goals, such as advancing to graduate or professional schools. I will also seek feedback from my mentees to continually improve my mentorship skills and tailor them to each individual.

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):: https://www.kiralab.org/
Please add any additional information here (if applicable)::
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Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable?: Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links:
Tuesday, September 2:  3:00–3:30 PM, Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508

Wednesday, September 3:  4:00–4:30 PM, Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508

Thursday, September 4:  5:00–5:30 PM, Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508

Friday, September 5:  6:00–6:30 PM, Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508

Roundtable Info:
- Day: Tuesday, September 2
  Start Time: 3:00
  End Time: 3:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508
- Day: Wednesday, September 3
  Start Time: 4:00
  End Time: 4:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508
- Day: Thursday, September 4
  Start Time: 5:00
  End Time: 5:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508
- Day: Friday, September 5
  Start Time: 6:00
  End Time: 6:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99388908508

UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes

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Year: 2025
update url: https://cre.fsu.edu/urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?element_parents=elements/research_mentor_information/headshot_optional_&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=8LTlz0fnqRtBp74rla5819c549skpMBAODYbRkaRjE8