The idea of a Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) program started with William (Bill) Hodos, a professor in Psychology, in the 1980s. Bill saw the need for neuroscience on campus and was pushing for it. He and Arthur Popper, a professor in Biology, were able to get more interest on campus and some funding for seminar programs and for bringing people together in formal ways.

In the 1990s Avis Cohen, a professor in Biology, saw that a training program in Neuroscience was needed on campus. She understood the power of Linguistics in studying science and approached the deans about developing a Neuroscience program that included Linguistics and Cognitive Science.

A proposal for a Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) Program was submitted and the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) approved NACS as a Ph.D. program in 1996.

Director: Avis Cohen

Departments and units affiliated with NACS: Animal and Avian Sciences, Biology, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, English, Human Development, Hearing and Speech Sciences, Institute for Systems Research, Kinesiology, Linguistics, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Philosophy, Psychology, University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies

Highlights:

• The first NACS Office is room 2239 in the Biology Department in the Biology-Psychology Building.
• The Center for Comparative and Evolutionary Biology of Hearing (C-CEBH) is established.

Director: Arthur Popper

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: Biochemistry, Entomology

Highlights:

• The NACS Seminar Series begins.
• The Center for Comparative and Evolutionary Biology of Hearing (C-CEBH) is awarded an institutional training grant (T-32). from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).
• NACS/UMD creates a Memorandum of Understanding with the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at the NIH, which allows NACS students to conduct research with NACS adjunct faculty at the NIH.

Director: Cynthia Moss

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: Bioengineering

Highlights:

• First External Review of the NACS program.
• BSOS becomes the lead college for the NACS program.
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science is approved.
• The NACS office moves to room 2131 in the Psychology Department in the Biology-Psychology Building.

Director: Robert Dooling

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: Aerospace Engineering, Behavioral and Community Health, Center for Advanced Study of Language (later known as ARLIS), Second Language Acquisition

Highlights:

• The program creates a position for a Grants Development Specialist to bring people together to submit grant proposals and interdisciplinary grant proposals.
• NACS plays a key part in establishing a Maryland Neuroimaging Center.
• Seven NACS research areas are established: Cellular & Molecular, Cognition & Emotion, Computational Modeling & Theory, Development & Aging, Disorders & Treatment, Language & Speech, Sensory & Motor Systems.
• NACS creates a Postdoc Affiliate membership for postdocs in labs of NACS faculty.

Director: Jens Herberholz

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Teaching and Learning & Policy and Leadership

Highlights:

• The Maryland Language Science Center launches on October 7, 2013.
• The NACS-sponsored Brain and Behavior Initiative launches becomes a reality on October 5, 2015.
• NACS celebrates its 20^th anniversary on May 31 and June 1, 2016.
• The program establishes a Student Representative Committee made up of one student from each cohort who meets each semester with the NACS Director and NACS Assistant Director.
• NACS starts providing first year funding for incoming students.
• The program moves into three offices in the Cole Student Activities Building.
• NACS MS Degree is activated.
• Second External Review of the NACS Program takes place.

Director: Joshua Singer

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: None during this time

Highlights:

• The Major in Neuroscience degree is approved.
• The program starts conducting Exit Interviews with students upon graduation.
• NACS starts contributing to the BSOS Summer Research Initiative.
• NACS begins providing administrative supplements to NACS Director, Graduate Director, & Admissions Director.
• Students begin completing Statement of Mutual Expectations each fall semester.
• The program starts having an annual Town Hall.

Director: Matthew Roesch

Joined as a department/unit affiliated with NACS: Architecture, Brain and Behavior Institute

Highlights:

• The Brain and Behavior Initiative becomes the Brain and Behavior Institute on September 28, 2021.
• Third External Review of the NACS Program takes place.
• NACS holds a Leadership Retreat attended by deans and chairs from the colleges affiliated with NACS to discuss funding mechanisms for NACS.
• Teaching MOUs are established between NACS and Psychology, Biology, Hearing and Speech Sciences, Linguistics, and Kinesiology.
• ARHU, EDUC, SPH, and the BBI agree to contribute annually to NACS.
• A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)between UMD/NACS and Children’s National Hospital (CNH) is executed in April of 2022, which allows NACS students to conduct research with adjunct faculty at CNH.
• NACS creates its own Statement of Mutual Expectations for NACS students.
• The program brings back the NACS Retreat.
• NACS integrates with the BBI and plans to move to the Biomolecular Sciences Building.