Dr. James Hinman

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Hinman lab is broadly interested in spatial cognition and memory. The lab investigates how the brain represents space and navigates the world. They employ high-density electrophysiology and calcium imaging in freely behaving rats to record and image large populations of individual neurons across brain regions, including the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, retrosplenial cortex, and striatum, while rats engage in a variety of tasks. The data collected allows researchers to identify the coding properties of individual neurons and to investigate the structure of population coding. An important feature of their environments is the social landscape, which the lab is examining through research on how the brain dynamically represents spatial location in relation to conspecifics and their social hierarchies. By monitoring cohabitating groups of rats, particularly during adolescence, they aim to identify social relationships among group members and record neural activity associated with social interactions. They also incorporate genetic Autism model rats in their studies to investigate the differences in neural representation and social interactions in these animals.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Illinois

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:17
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:103
GRE General
Prerequisites
Mathematical background Linear Algebra Calculus
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

GRE is optional for admission to all graduate programs in Statistics. Full status admission requires higher language scores than limited status.