Brendan Hasz

Ph.D. 2020

Thesis Title:

Model-Free and Model-Based Influence on Choice in Rodents and Interactions between Hippocampus and Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex during Deliberation

Current Position:

Data Scientist, CH Robinson

Undergraduate Institution and Major:

Brandeis University, B.S.,  Neuroscience and Computer Science, 2013

Graduate Advisor:

David Redish, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience

    Description of Graduate Research:

    I study decision-making in rats. Specifically, what neural algorithms are used in hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex to make habitual and deliberative choices. Techniques I use include multi-electrode recordings in behaving rats, computational modeling, machine learning, and LFP and spike train analysis.

    Graduate Publications:

    • Hasz BM, Redish AD. Behavioral correlates of model-based and model-free uncertainty are revealed by a two-step decision task for rats. Front Integr Neurosci. 2018 Aug 3;12:30.

    Professional Presentations:

    Oral:

    • Prospective Representation in HPC and dmPFC. Graudate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, October 2019.
    • Time and Strategy Representations in HPC and dmPFC. Center for Neuroengineering Seminar, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. Task, October 2019
    • Contingency Encoding in Prelimbic Cortex and Hippocampus. Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN,  October 2018.
    • Uncertainty in Model-based and Model-free Neural Decision Making Systems. Invited talk at Carleton College, Northfield, MN, April 2017..
    • Uncertainty and Arbitration in Decision Making Systems. Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, February 2017.
    • Behavioral Correlates of Model-based and Model-free Neural Decision Making Systems. Invited talk at the Minnesota Institute for Neuroeconomics and Decision Science Fall Research Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, November 2016.
    • Model-based and Model-free Neural Decision Making Systems. Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, March 2016.

    Graduate Abstracts:

    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Goal encoding in prelimbic cortex and CA1 on a contingency-switching task for rats. Poster session presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. Program No. 335.03., 2019.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Comparisons between contingency encoding in prelimbic cortex and CA1 on a contingency-switching task for rats. Poster session presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Program No. 162.17, San Diego CA, November 2018.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Behavioral correlates of deliberation and habit on a contingency-switching task for rats. Poster session presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Program No. 709.01, Washington DC, November 2017.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Spike decoding without spike-sorting using kernel density estimation.  Poster presentation at the Minnesota Neuromodulation Symposium, Minneapolis MN, April 2017.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. An unsupervised algorithm for neural spike sorting inspired by superparamagnetic clustering. Poster presentation at the Minnesota Neuromodulation Symposium, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, April 2016.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Behavioral correlates of model-based and model-free decisions are revealed by a two-step decision-task for rats. Poster presentation at the Institute for Engineering in Medicine Annual Conference and Retreat, University of Minnesota, September 2016.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. A spatial two-stage decision task for rats. Poster presentation at the Center for Cognitive Sciences Spring Research Day, University of Minnesota, April 2016.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. A spatial two-stage decision task for rats. Poster presentation at the Institute for Engineering in Medicine Annual Conference and Retreat, University of Minnesota, September 2015.
    • Hasz B, Redish AD. Rats in a virtual environment. Poster presentation at Graduate Program in Neuroscience Retreat, February 2015.

    Graduate Awards And Honors:

    • NSF  IGERT Neuroengineering Fellowship Program, 2013

    Professional Outreach:

    • Brain Awareness Week Instructor, various Schools across the Twin Cities area 2014-2017
    • Presenter at “Social Science”, Science Museum of Minnesota, October 2015 and 2016
    • Volunteer at the Annual Brain Bee Competition, Minneapolis, MN, 2016
    • Brains at the Fair, Minnesota State Fair University of Minnesota Booth, August 2016
    • Brain Awareness Week Instructor, various Schools across the Twin Cities area 2014- Present

    Professional Memberships:

    • Society for Neuroscience, 2016 – present

    Research Categories:

    • Behavorial and Cognitive Neuroscience
    • Computational Neuroscience

    Thesis Committee Members:

    Research Areas:

    • Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
    • Computational Neuroscience

    Rotations:

    Why Did You Choose UMN?

    I chose UMN because of the diversity of neuroscience research, the IGERT neuroengineering program, and because I was interested in the work of my advisor, Dr. David Redish.

    What Advice Would You Give A First Year Graduate Student?

    If you’re working on a “long-shot” project, try to have a “probably going to work” one as well on the side.

    Hasz