What is it like to work in our lab?

  • Gain deep knowledge in human sensorimotor neuroscience. This may include upper limb motor learning, proprioception, multisensory integration, and their neural substrates.
  • Opportunities to learn transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and advanced technologies for human behavior research (robotic manipulandum, gaze tracking, touchscreens).
  • Access to neuroscience faculty throughout the campus who specialize in kinesiology, psychology, cognitive science, vision science, speech and hearing science, computer science, and medical science.
  • Opportunities to take or audit a wide variety of courses to build your skills and knowledge.
  • The chance to gain experience in teaching, mentoring, and science outreach, if desired.
  • We are a small research group, so you get lots of opportunity to interact with and learn from the lab director.

​We are located at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB), the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. IUB is a R1 Doctoral University, a classification meaning that it grants doctoral degrees and has very high research activity. 
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Because of the university presence, Bloomington, Indiana has a surprising amount of culture for a small city in the Midwest! Concerts, arts festivals, great restaurants, athletic events, etc. And it's a pretty affordable place to live. 
We went to the Society for the Neural Control of Movement annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland, July 2022. Here are our lab members with their posters! Left: Postdoc Trevor Lee-Miller. Right: PhD students Reshma Babu and Manasi Wali.
We run a week-long neuroscience camp for middle and high school girls. Previously this was in person (left), but in 2021 we went virtual (right)! It's a great way for lab members interested in outreach to get involved.

Postdoctoral Fellow

We are looking for a new postdoc to start winter, spring, or summer 2023!
This is an NIH-funded position for a minimum of two years. The focus of the project is the neural basis of multisensory and motor learning in the control of hand movement. The project comprises behavioral, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging experiments in healthy adults.
  • You would be expected to work on some of the already-planned experiments associated with the grant, but there will also be opportunities to develop your own independent research interests. 
  • IU classifies postdocs as faculty positions, which means you would receive the same benefits (health insurance, retirement, etc) as other full-time faculty. Compensation is congruent with NIH stipend levels. 
  • The lab pays for postdocs to attend and present their research at one professional conference per year.
  • Funds are available for relocation expenses.
Applications are invited from any relevant discipline including neuroscience, kinesiology, psychology, cognitive science, etc. Candidates must have received a doctoral degree from an accredited educational institution by the start of appointment. Experience with human subjects research is required, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Candidates should possess strong scientific writing skills and programming skills (MATLAB).

To receive full consideration, apply by October 15, 2022.

PhD students

Dr. Block is currently recruiting 1-2 new PhD students to start Fall 2023 ​
Requirements and details:
  • ​​Masters degree is not required, provided you have a strong academic record in a 4-year undergraduate degree (neuroscience, psychology, kinesiology, or related area) and some kind of lab-based research experience.
  • If accepted into the PhD program, you will automatically be fully funded by research/teaching assistantships. This funding covers your tuition, health insurance, and stipend for living expenses (currently $27,000 per year). 
  • The lab pays for PhD students to attend and present their research at one professional conference per year.

Our PhD students often choose to do a dual Kinesiology/Neuroscience program. This does not usually add time to obtain the degree, but does provide extra options for funding.
  1. PhD in Human Performance: Motor Learning/Control. School of Public Health.
  2. PhD in Neuroscience, College of Arts & Sciences. 

To receive full consideration, apply by December 1.  Before applying, prospective students should e-mail hjblock@indiana.edu with a CV or resume and unofficial transcript.

Undergraduates

Students interested in gaining experience in sensorimotor research are invited to contact Hannah Block. There are frequent opportunities for volunteering or independent/directed study in our lab.  

Female freshman and sophomores are encouraged to consider IU's Center of Excellence for Women in Technology (CEWiT) Research Experience for Undergraduate Women. This is an excellent way to gain some exposure to research and technology, and several of the undergraduates who work in our lab started out in this program.