Max Otto Jones is a Carleton College Class of 2028 student studying Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Mathematics. His research interests focus on motor learning, cerebellar function, and neural computation: how the brain builds, updates, and retrieves internal models that allow the body to learn movements.

Previous research experience: I conduct research with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and have also worked as a research assistant at Carleton. My current work grew out of a project on motor planning and cerebellar-dependent motor memories, and I am interested in combining behavioral experiments with neural recordings and computational analysis. I have also presented work on how the hunger hormone ghrelin affects courtship behavior in mice and contribute to Open Ephys.

How I got started: I got started through a winter-break project with a mentor who gave me enough ownership to discover that I liked open-ended research. I learned quickly that progress came from being willing to troubleshoot, read outside class, and ask increasingly specific questions rather than waiting for perfect instructions.

Open to being contacted: Maybe, ask me first

Preferred contact: LinkedIn

Advice/notes: neuroscience research; motor learning; cerebellum; electrophysiology; Open Ephys; behavioral experiments; computational neuroscience; poster presentations; REU/SURE programs; finding and working with a research mentor

Location

Madison

Madison, WI, USA