Rate My Professor Benjamin Scott

Benjamin Scott is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University, where he also serves as Director of the Laboratory of Comparative Cognition. He earned a BA in Biology from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Neuroscience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to his appointment at Boston University, he completed postdoctoral training at Princeton University, working with David Tank and Carlos Brody.

Scott’s research centers on developing and applying new technologies to investigate the neural basis of cognition and complex learned behavior. His approach integrates methods from biomedical engineering, including novel optical imaging and genetic techniques for observing and perturbing neuronal activity in intact living brains, with principles from neuroethology focused on natural behaviors. Current projects combine high-throughput behavioral training paradigms with advanced brain activity imaging to identify and characterize neural circuits supporting evidence-based decision making. He maintains affiliations with Boston University’s College of Engineering and related centers, contributing to interdisciplinary efforts in neural dynamics, optical imaging, and genetic engineering. Scott’s work has been supported through various research initiatives, and he maintains an active laboratory training graduate and undergraduate students in these areas.