I³R offers exciting new collaboration opportunities with Psychological Sciences
The University of Arkansas’ new Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research (I³R) will celebrate the commissioning of its new convergence and innovation hub on April 15. With an emphasis on convergence research, collaboration, leading-edge technology, I³R offers exciting new collaboration opportunities on campus.
Dr. Josiah Leong presenting his research as part of the Institute’s speaker series.
I³R brings together scholars, industry experts, and community leaders from a range of disciplines to tackle complex challenges. Members like Dr. Justin Asbee, research scientist, who has a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of North Texas and communications assistant Gayla Hinton, who holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Arkansas, are part of the Institute as team members, and Psychology Department faculty members like assistant professor Dr. Josiah Leong have collaborated with the Institute on projects.
Through I³R, psychology researchers can explore the opportunity to work across disciplines with neuroscientists, engineers, and public health experts to study solutions that could potentially impact society on a bigger scale. Psychological science is essential to understanding human behavior, decision-making, and mental health issues that intersect with everything from healthcare to technology.
According to Dr. Leong, “I³R consulted several faculty in the psychology department to design the facilities for human neuroimaging, brain stimulation, and psychophysics research. We also jointly hosted faculty from other universities to present their research and advise on the building design. Last, we helped I³R recruit researchers and technologists to join us in Fayetteville!”
One of the biggest advancements I³R brings is specialized labs and capabilities, like the MAGNETOM Cima.X 3T MRI, Siemens’ strongest scanner on the market, and the third location in the United States to have this scanner. This capability can be a game-changer for faculty and students studying cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. Advaned MRI technology allows researchers to examine brain activity — to literally image the brain–– while participants are engaging mental tasks.
“The new facilities at I³R enable labs to conduct advanced research on human physiology that combines multiple imaging, stimulation, and behavioral modalities. For example, labs can pair transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocol with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to test if targeted brain stimulation can bias people’s decisions, or to test the efficacy of clinical treatments. Student researchers in the labs will learn how to design complex experiments, measure the brain and body, and analyze multi-modal datasets,” said Dr. Leong.
I³R also offers student research experience at the graduate, undergraduate, and high school levels in which early-career researchers can learn from experts across many disciplines. The Institute’s focus on deployment and convergence research aligns with psychology’s mission to understand and improve human behavior. I³R’s partnerships with industry, community, and philanthropic organizations can also spark potential internship and research funding opportunities on campus for students.
I3R, MRI suite, Open house, Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research, Siemens
“I³R is a bold vision for the future of the University of Arkansas, powered by convergence research. Our partnership with the psychology department exemplifies how I³R drives innovation and connects experts on campus with valuable resources to make advancements. By collaborating with researchers like Dr. Leong and introducing new technologies such as the MAGNETOM Cima.X 3T MRI, we are creating exciting opportunities for societal impact” said Ranu Jung, Ph.D. Associate Vice Chancellor and I3R Founding Executive Director.
I³R’s 144,000-square-foot facility located at the southeast corner of Dickson Street and Duncan Avenue marks a physical and symbolic expansion of research at the University of Arkansas. Set to open in April, the convergence and innovation hub will provide new opportunities to innovate and collaborate on campus, bringing together researchers, students, and industry expertise.
Dr. Leong emphasized the future impact of I³R on psychology research: “The new Institute is especially exciting for psychology researchers because it opens the door for collaboration with neuroscience labs around the world and makes us competitive for large-scale funding opportunities. The Institute not only provides the physical infrastructure for scientific discovery, but also the human expertise and guidance to deploy the discoveries to solve problems in clinic and industry.”
As I³R continues to grow, its partnership with the Department of Psychological Science will push the boundaries, opening new avenues and exciting opportunities for research and practical applications which will only help expand the impact of psychology at the University of Arkansas.