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Why NAPs?
It’s a new frontier
Understanding the nervous system and its relationship to the mind and personhood is considered by many to be a new frontier in science, and perhaps the most challenging. Just as the Copernican revolution changed our view of the solar system and our physical world—and the Darwinian revolution challenged thinking with respect to biological change and origins—the neuroscientific revolution is challenging conventional thinking about personhood. In what is being called “The Century of the Brain,” one of the most important goals is to holistically integrate our increasing knowledge of the brain with a greater understanding and appreciation of our lives as persons—spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and socially. Did you know there are approximately as many neurons in your brain as there are stars in the Milky Way? Read more (PDF) ...
It’s a standout program
There are over 220 graduate-level neuroscience programs in the country and approximately 60 undergraduate programs. Neuroscience is becoming an increasingly popular area of study at top-tier liberal arts schools. Northwestern’s NAPs program is one of only 10 such programs at Christian liberal arts institutions. Read about neuroscience education across the continuum (PDF).
It’s interdisciplinary
Since the vast majority of neuroscientific discoveries are occurring as skilled people work together across disciplines to solve the deep mysteries of the brain, those most likely to contribute future advances in our understanding will be those who have been broadly trained in the multiple disciplines that contribute to neuroscience, i.e., biology, chemistry, computer science, philosophy, psychology and more. Read about the scope of NAPs in the Century of the Brain (PDF).
It’s personal
Think about how many nervous system-related disorders you know about (or live with): depression, eating disorders, substance abuse and addiction, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, brain or nerve injuries due to strokes and accidents, and others. According to the World Health Organization, disabilities of the brain and nervous system account for more disabilities than any other group of illnesses.
There are more questions than answers
What is the relationship between my brain and my mind (or soul)? What is the brain’s relationship to me as a person? How do consciousness and our moral and spiritual sense relate to the brain? How does the brain relate to or produce our sense of personal identity and continuity over time, our memories, ability to learn, our emotions, beliefs and wishes, free will and sense of moral responsibility? What goes wrong when the nervous system malfunctions and how can we fix its many disorders? And the list goes on …
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 Neuroscience
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