Join the Lab
Explore research and training paths in the lab. Availability varies by role and admissions cycle.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Inquiries welcome
Prospective postdoctoral researchers with a strong background in systems neuroscience, computational modeling, or related fields are welcome to inquire about current and upcoming possibilities. Experience with in vivo electrophysiology, calcium imaging, or behavioral modeling is especially relevant.
Email Ali directly with a CV, a brief statement of research interests, and contact information for 2–3 references.
Email ApplicationGraduate Students
Check the current admissions cycle
Graduate students may join through the Department of Psychology or the Neuroscience Training Program (NTP) at UW–Madison. Faculty availability changes each admissions cycle, so verify the current department list before applying.
The lab does not hold pre-application meetings, which helps ensure applicants receive equal consideration. Before applying, you can try Neurochallenge below for a realistic preview of the work we do.
Read Applicant GuidanceUndergraduate Students
Capacity-dependent
Undergraduate inquiries are considered as mentoring capacity allows. Projects may involve behavioral experiments, data analysis, or computational modeling.
Email us with your CV, unofficial transcript, weekly availability, and a brief explanation of the research questions that interest you.
Inquire About OpeningsFor prospective graduate students
Take Neurochallenge for a test run.
This is the kind of work you would regularly encounter in our lab: using Python and Jupyter to inspect imperfect neuroscience data, troubleshoot analyses, make quantitative choices, and explain what the evidence does—and does not—support.
The self-guided exercise takes about 4–6 hours. Try it before you apply and see whether you enjoy the process. There is no form, permission, or introductory email required—just download the ZIP and start when you are ready.
ZIP archive · Python/Jupyter · includes four recording sessions
For experimental systems builders
Build the RuleShift behavioral box.
Rig Challenge follows an experiment from hardware to result. Use an ESP32 to control tones and LEDs, read left/right events, and own millisecond task timing. Then build a Python GUI that configures the session, displays and saves the event stream, and analyzes acquisition and reversal behavior.
The bench-only exercise takes about 8–10 focused hours. Two pushbuttons substitute for behavioral sensors, so no animals or experimental apparatus are involved.
ZIP archive · ESP32/Arduino · Python GUI · event analysis
Our lab environment
We’re committed to an inclusive, collaborative environment that values scientific rigor, curiosity, and each other’s well-being. Our core values guide how we work.