An Introduction to the BIDA Lab

Abstract

Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) are key components in the brain in which excitation of activity is indicative of sensory input. Occurring predominantly as a wave at 200-400ms after the inducing stimulus, ERPs can be used to map structural changes in the brain for the purpose of identifying cognitive deficits or learning impairments. In the lab of Dr. Sunghan Kim, ERPs are a root of interest. In more recent semesters, the lab has received new members from backgrounds other than engineering, and thus have little experience with the process of data collection and coding. Much time is given to these new students and their induction into the lab can take up to an entire semester with the amount of information they must consume to be a productive member in research. The purpose of this Honors Project was to provide a service Dr. Kim greatly needed: a consistent lab manual with comprehensive sources that all new lab members could read on their own time and learn in a fraction of a semester.