Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of an EEG system to advance psychophysiological research and education at a primarily undergraduate institution

This NSF Major Research Instrumentation project supports the acquisition of an electroencephalogram (EEG) system to expand neuroscientific research and education at a primarily undergraduate institution. EEG provides a non-invasive way of measuring the brain’s electrical activity at the millisecond level. EEG is widely used to study brain function to better understand cognitive processes and is an efficient and scalable method for examining brain-behavior relationships. EEG provides valuable insight into the time course and patterns of neural activity related to multiple aspects of cognition, such as attention, perception, memory, and language. EEG is also used in diagnosing and monitoring neurological disorders and traumatic brain injuries. The instrumentation enables hands-on training for students collecting and interpreting functional brain imaging data, providing critical training opportunities to students in STEM-related fields. Additionally, planned activities aim to significantly enhance the research environment at the institution, allowing for new research projects and providing the opportunity to increase community engagement and rural health with access to neuroscience in rural areas. This 64-channel EEG instrument enables new areas of research at a primarily undergraduate institution in the areas of cognitive neuroscience and brain health. One planned project investigates the neural mechanisms reward-related processing of infant and adult faces. Another sample planned project compares collegiate athletes and non-athletes to better understand the utility of EEG in both the diagnosis and prognosis of mild traumatic brain injuries at the acute, sub-acute, and long-term phases post-injury. Overall, the instrumentation allows faculty to expand their research to neuroscience projects and also advances research opportunities in neuroscience for students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.