Professor: Anderson Course format: Lecture w/ lab Number of respondents: 9 Total Enrollment: 27 Class Composition: Froshs: 5 Sophs: 6 Jrs: 7 Srs: 5 Concs: 3 Non-Concs: 3 Don't Know: 2

Instructor Average: 1.81 Course Average: 1.62

'Neural Modeling Laboratory' just may be your thing if you have familiarity with coding, preferably Matlab, as well as higher math skills and some background in Pascal and neuroscience. This specialized knowledge is perfect for exploring the use of neural nets in the brain or creating one's own neural nets and linear associators.

Luckily, students explore this highly specific material with aid from the kind and knowledgeable Professor Anderson. Class members recommend that you make use of his office hours, where his dry humor and tangential style carry over from lectures. Though some students complained of a monotonous teaching style and difficulty in deciphering the complicated information on his overheads, others suggested that those who do not have background for or interest in the specificity of this topic take a different course with Professor Anderson.

The workload was challenging but reasonable, with a lab and write-up due every two weeks, each taking about five hours. Because there were no tests and the optional readings merely supplemented the lectures, students spent between three and five hours a week on the assignments. Students who attended the lecture that was held during reading period were not disappointed.

Although those who applied themselves were delighted by what they created, the course required a lot of independent drive. Most applied effort to understand the material and push the boundaries of where past classes had taken them. Although some students reported that there were few or no opportunities to participate in class, the majority of the students found that there were many chances if one took the initiative to speak.

For anyone with a desire to understand the architecture and application of neural nets, this course is a must. Students must be prepared, however, to take a lot of initiative in navigating the topic on their own outside of lecture.

View CG/0102 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.