How do organisms, including humans, combine information from the environment with information in memory to decide upon a course of action at the current moment that will lead to a desirable outcome some time in the future? How can machines, including mobile robots, be endowed with similar capabilities? Finding answers to these questions forms the basis of an NSF-funded Integrated Graduate Education and Research Training program (IGERT) in cognitive science at Michigan State University.

The focus of the MSU IGERT program is the interdisciplinary study of cognition in humans, animals, and intelligent machines. Unifying the program is an emphasis on sequential decision-making problems, where the ultimate outcome of a local decision may be assessed only after a series of related decisions have been taken, and where there may be considerable uncertainty about the appropriate course of action. We believe that this framework applies to a great many cognitive problems faced by both biological and artificial agents, and that the use of a common framework will deepen theoretical insights into the nature of decision-making. We offer trainees opportunities to pursue research in active vision, language, navigation, and coordination of action in social groups, among other topics. The program is designed to complement and extend the training provided within students' home disciplines by stressing integration of computational modeling with empirical study of human and animal systems.

IGERT Trainees are awarded a generous support package consisting of a yearly stipend for 5 years, tuition waiver, and health benefits. Trainees are also eligible for research and travel funds to supplement resources available through their home departments and their advisors' labs.

The program also offers opportunities for undergraduate students and post-docs. A list of current trainees, associates can be found here.