Jarrod Hicks, a student researcher, explains how lesion studies are important in understanding brain function. Photo by Fred StephensLecture at John’s City Diner brings science of the undead to life
Tamara Imam - Managing Editor
managing@insideuab.com
UAB students and Birmingham locals gathered at John’s City Diner on Tuesday, Oct. 18 to hear from neuroscience and mathematics student and student researcher Jarrod Hicks on what he called the “neuroscience of zombies.”
Hicks is a fifth-year student who works with Kristina Visscher, Ph.D., in the Human Behavioral Neuroscience Lab at UAB to study functional brain networks of older adults. He said his talk was based on a book by University of California San Diego neuroscientist Bradley Voytek and Carnegie Mellon neuroscientist Timothy Verstynen called “Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep: A Neuroscientific View of the Zombie Brain.” The book describes zombies as suffering from Consciousness Deficit Hypoactivity Disorder, a phrase coined by the team of researchers.
He began the lecture with a disclaimer that although the science behind his talk is “100 percent real,” zombies are not.
The spectrum of “zombie symptoms,” Hicks said, includes hyperaggression, movement dysfunction, language disruption, inability to perceive pain, memory and attention problems, reduced impulse control, visual recognition impairment and addiction — in this case, to flesh.
Hicks used the zombie theme, which he said was intentionally chosen for the Halloween season, as a conduit to bring neuroscience to a general audience by using neuroscientific principles to explain each of the symptoms he delineated.
“This particular topic is one that’s interesting and engaging for public audiences. It’s also presented in a manner that can be easily digested by most,” Hicks said. “What I mean is that just talking about zombies isn’t the ultimate goal. Rather, educating the public about neuroscience is the goal. Zombies are just a vehicle to get neuroscientific information out there.”
Tuesday’s talk was part of the monthly Sci Cafe lecture series, a collaboration between the Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, UAB Civitan Research Club and the McWane Science Center, the purpose of which is to “connect people of science with people who have science interests,” according to Lawrence Cooper of the McWane Science Center, who introduced the lecture.
Though Hicks' lecture was geared toward a general audience, among the attendees were neuroscience students.
“It was witty and funny but felt like real research on how a true zombie brain would affect the behavior commonly noticed in the most popular zombie representations,” senior neuroscience major Celeste Fong said. “As a neuroscience student I like the idea of being able to show how diverse and relatable neuroscience is through fun events. Even as a student I like going to events where I know I can have some fun and not have to think of neuroscience as being this strict discipline.”
Hicks hopes that his talk will inspire would-be neuroscientists to delve into the field.
“Sci Cafe is a great opportunity for scientists to connect with public audiences [...] It’s always great to share scientific knowledge with the public, but it’s even better to inspire someone to pursue science,” Hicks said. “I was inspired to pursue neuroscience when I competed in the Alabama Brain Bee. So, I always try to take any opportunity I can find to speak with public audiences, with the hope that I can inspire someone else.”
Hicks is currently working on a master's degree in mathematics. He plans to graduate this December and continue working in Visscher’s lab before pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
