Author: webdev

In Memory of Dr. Ross W. Buck

Posted on by

Dr. Ross W. Buck was one of the first researchers to use BIRC and continued his work on the brain mechanisms of emotional and cognitive empathy in nonverbal communication until shortly before his death. He will be greatly missed at BIRC.

Dr. Ross W. Buck passed away peacefully in Windham Hospital on September 1, 2022. He was born on August 16, 1941 in Sewickley, PA to Ross and Ruth Buck. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Judith Buck Davis.  He leaves his wife, Marianne of 58 years; children Ross William and his children Eleanor (Al) and William Christopher of Washington, DC; Maria Lenore of Brooklyn, NY; Nancy Jenney of White Plains, MD; and Theodore Reed and his children Maya Rose and Hannah Judith of Tolland, CT. He also leaves cousins, Lynda Thill of Gibsonia, PA and Marilyn McAllister of Coraopolis, PA, sister- and brother-in law, Nancy and Howard Pears of Meadville PA, in addition to many nieces and nephews. Ross also leaves many grieving colleagues and those he often referred to as his second family, former graduate students – too many to count from his 48 years of teaching at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Although he was an amazing father to our four children, he always had room in his heart for more of his students whom he mentored.

Ross earned his PhD in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and his early career included work at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine followed by appointments to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Connecticut, where he was a Professor of Communication and Psychology. He authored four books on Communication, Emotion, Motivation, and Nonverbal Communication and numerous chapters and professional journal articles. He served as Editor of the International Society of Research on Emotion Newsletter and belonged to many professional organizations.

There will be no calling hours. A celebration of his wonderful life and career is being planned by his family and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please wait for an announcement of suggested donations.

Obituary curtesy of Tribute Archive and Potter Funeral Home

For more information, contact: Department of Communication at (860) 486-6734

Suggest speakers for the ’22-23 talk series!

Posted on by

The Brain Imaging Research Center (BIRC) is soliciting your suggestions for speakers to fill remaining openings in the 2022-2023 BIRC Speaker Series. The BIRC supports research using human brain and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging, electrophysiology, and non-invasive stimulation. The past speaker series has featured renowned speakers working broadly in magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive neuroscience, and related fields. Suggestions may be submitted using this form at any time, but submissions received by July 11th will be given special consideration for the upcoming year. We welcome suggestions from all disciplines and career stages. 

As always, we are particularly interested in speakers who introduce conceptual or methodological innovations that inspire UConn researchers to explore new research directions and applications in magnetic resonance imaging, physiology, and brain stimulation, and develop interdisciplinary collaborations.

Fumiko Hoeft wins the Samuel Torrey Orton Award

Posted on by

Each year, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) acknowledges the achievements of leading researchers and practitioners in the dyslexia field, as well as those of individuals with dyslexia who exhibit leadership and serve as role models in their communities. These award recipients have done so much to advance the mission of helping all those who struggle to read.

The Samuel Torrey Orton Award is the International Dyslexia Association’s highest honor. The Award recognizes a person or persons who have:

  • Made a vital contribution to our scientific understanding of dyslexia, or
  • Significantly enhanced and advanced our capacity to successfully intervene and assist people with dyslexia, or
  • Expanded national and international awareness of dyslexia, or
  • Demonstrated unusual competence and dedication in service to people with dyslexia

Congratulations, Fumiko! This is a well deserved honor.

(Information courtesy of International Dyslexia Association)

Updated fees for MRI Block Scheduling.

Posted on by

BIRC recognizes it can be difficult to book scanner time during busy months, and many investigators would like to book blocks of time (three or more consecutive hours) to run multiple participants. We support this practice, but we also need to ensure the scanner is available to be utilized by all investigators. We ask that, if you are using a block scheduling system, you please cancel any available slots with a minimum of 14 days’ notice to allow other investigators the opportunity to schedule participants.

The following cancellation fees for block scheduling will become effective February 1, 2022:
>14 days' notice: No charge
8-14 days' notice: 25% charge
24 hours-7 days' notice: %50 charge
< 24 hours' notice: 100% charge

Please see https://draft.brainimaging.center.uconn.edu/researchers/rates-and-policies/ for additional information.

Brianna Kinnie Receives 2021 BIRC Excellence Award

Posted on by

The BIRC is pleased to announce the second annual BIRC Excellence Award, which highlights the achievements of a student, staff, faculty member, lab, or group who has made exceptional contributions towards advancing the goals of the BIRC as outlined in the Mission Statement:

  • To facilitate scientific discovery and theoretical and methodological innovation
  • To serve as an intellectual center for interdisciplinary basic and clinical research
  • To prepare graduate students and post-doctoral fellows for careers in academia and related fields
  • To provide undergraduate students with research experience and other educational opportunities
  • To disseminate scientific knowledge to the broader university community, relevant professional communities, and the general public
  • The BIRC Excellence Award is awarded on an annual basis at the end of each Fall semester. Awardees are selected by BIRC staff and confirmed by the BIRC steering committee.

Congratulations to our 2021 BIRC Excellence Award Recipient, Brianna Kinnie, B.S.! Brianna is a project coordinator supervised by Professor Fumiko Hoeft. Brianna coordinated recruitment and research activities for two R01 projects, contributed to undergraduate training, and provided coverage as a Technologist Assistant for clinical scanning, a significant source of revenue for BIRC.

Fumiko Hoeft and Colleagues Receive NIH U24 Grant

Posted on by

Five new research networks totaling $3.13 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health will allow investigators to refine and test key concepts that advance the study of emotional well-being.

Fumiko Hoeft, Sandra Marshall, and Crystal Park, in collaboration with UConn InCHIP, UConn Neag School of Education, and UConn Research, have just received funding for their NIH U24 grant exploring the underlying mechanisms of mind-body interventions and measurement of Emotional Well Being. Utilizing imaging resources available at BIRC, this project will illuminate the role of emotional well-being in mind and body interventions as both an outcome itself and as a mechanism in improving mental and physical health outcomes. (Grant U24 AT011281-01; NICHD, OBSSR, and ODP are co-funding partners)

In addition to UConn, the list of research networks includes University of Alabama, University of Wisconsin-Madison, UCSF, and University of Rochester.

For more information, visit UConn Today

More information about the scope of this grant can be found on the NCCIH Research Blog