Katie Insel
@katieinsel.bsky.social
Assistant Professor @ Northwestern
Director of CATS Lab (nucatslab.com)
Director of CATS Lab (nucatslab.com)
2 weeks left to apply!!
I'm recruiting PhD students for my lab at Northwestern! I'm reviewing applications for the Department of Psychology for the Cognitive Affective Neuroscience and Clinical areas, due 12/1. 🧠
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
CATS Lab
Child & Adolescent Translational Science Lab at Northwestern University
nucatslab.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:27 AM
2 weeks left to apply!!
Reposted by Katie Insel
My paper is out!
Computational modeling of error patterns during reward-based learning show evidence that habit learning (value free!) supplements working memory in 7 human data sets.
rdcu.be/eQjLN
Computational modeling of error patterns during reward-based learning show evidence that habit learning (value free!) supplements working memory in 7 human data sets.
rdcu.be/eQjLN
A habit and working memory model as an alternative account of human reward-based learning
Nature Human Behaviour - In this study, Collins proposes an alternative dual-process (working memory and habit) model of reinforcement learning in humans.
rdcu.be
November 17, 2025 at 5:18 PM
My paper is out!
Computational modeling of error patterns during reward-based learning show evidence that habit learning (value free!) supplements working memory in 7 human data sets.
rdcu.be/eQjLN
Computational modeling of error patterns during reward-based learning show evidence that habit learning (value free!) supplements working memory in 7 human data sets.
rdcu.be/eQjLN
Reposted by Katie Insel
On the subject of data, here is from an analysis that I did when I was at NIGMS.
nigms.nih.gov/loop/2011/06...
This showed that there were some quite productive grants with percentile scores at or worse than the 30th percentile.
5/13
nigms.nih.gov/loop/2011/06...
This showed that there were some quite productive grants with percentile scores at or worse than the 30th percentile.
5/13
November 14, 2025 at 3:31 PM
On the subject of data, here is from an analysis that I did when I was at NIGMS.
nigms.nih.gov/loop/2011/06...
This showed that there were some quite productive grants with percentile scores at or worse than the 30th percentile.
5/13
nigms.nih.gov/loop/2011/06...
This showed that there were some quite productive grants with percentile scores at or worse than the 30th percentile.
5/13
Reposted by Katie Insel
🚨 New preprint on the first infant 7T MRI project in North America! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We showcase that by leveraging 7T for infants, we can improve data quality and thereby facilitate precision functional mapping in early development.
We showcase that by leveraging 7T for infants, we can improve data quality and thereby facilitate precision functional mapping in early development.
www.biorxiv.org
November 12, 2025 at 4:37 AM
🚨 New preprint on the first infant 7T MRI project in North America! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We showcase that by leveraging 7T for infants, we can improve data quality and thereby facilitate precision functional mapping in early development.
We showcase that by leveraging 7T for infants, we can improve data quality and thereby facilitate precision functional mapping in early development.
Sign up for our final winter session of Scan Camp!!
Looking for teens in the Chicagoland area!
8-10 MRI scans at Northwestern's Feinberg campus.
Wear an Oura ring and answer daily surveys.
Earn up to $1,360, prizes, and a 3D-print of your brain!
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Looking for teens in the Chicagoland area!
8-10 MRI scans at Northwestern's Feinberg campus.
Wear an Oura ring and answer daily surveys.
Earn up to $1,360, prizes, and a 3D-print of your brain!
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
November 10, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Sign up for our final winter session of Scan Camp!!
Looking for teens in the Chicagoland area!
8-10 MRI scans at Northwestern's Feinberg campus.
Wear an Oura ring and answer daily surveys.
Earn up to $1,360, prizes, and a 3D-print of your brain!
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Looking for teens in the Chicagoland area!
8-10 MRI scans at Northwestern's Feinberg campus.
Wear an Oura ring and answer daily surveys.
Earn up to $1,360, prizes, and a 3D-print of your brain!
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Reposted by Katie Insel
Scaling back DEI isn’t just a moral setback—it’s a loss of innovation.
Bhalla, Trejo & @marymunson4.bsky.social in Nature Cell Biology: limiting who can participate in science “weakens research capacity and stifles discovery.”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Bhalla, Trejo & @marymunson4.bsky.social in Nature Cell Biology: limiting who can participate in science “weakens research capacity and stifles discovery.”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
November 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Scaling back DEI isn’t just a moral setback—it’s a loss of innovation.
Bhalla, Trejo & @marymunson4.bsky.social in Nature Cell Biology: limiting who can participate in science “weakens research capacity and stifles discovery.”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Bhalla, Trejo & @marymunson4.bsky.social in Nature Cell Biology: limiting who can participate in science “weakens research capacity and stifles discovery.”
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
I'm recruiting PhD students for my lab at Northwestern! I'm reviewing applications for the Department of Psychology for the Cognitive Affective Neuroscience and Clinical areas, due 12/1. 🧠
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
CATS Lab
Child & Adolescent Translational Science Lab at Northwestern University
nucatslab.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I'm recruiting PhD students for my lab at Northwestern! I'm reviewing applications for the Department of Psychology for the Cognitive Affective Neuroscience and Clinical areas, due 12/1. 🧠
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
Come join the CATS Lab: nucatslab.com
Learn about our latest research: iamh.northwestern.edu/research/res...
Reposted by Katie Insel
I will be recruiting 🌟PhD students🌟 for my newish lab! If you're interested in learning & memory mechanisms applied to individual, interactive & collective behavior using computational modeling, real-world experiments and fMRI, email me! RTs much appreciated 🙏 rouhanilab.com
Interactive Cognition Lab | USC
Interactive Cognition Lab at USC, led by principal investigator, Dr. Nina Rouhani.
rouhanilab.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I will be recruiting 🌟PhD students🌟 for my newish lab! If you're interested in learning & memory mechanisms applied to individual, interactive & collective behavior using computational modeling, real-world experiments and fMRI, email me! RTs much appreciated 🙏 rouhanilab.com
Reposted by Katie Insel
New lab paper in DCN! 🧠 We conducted interviews with adolescents to better understand their perceptions of neuroscience research and barriers to participation, w/qualitative data that is shaping how we design lab studies & efforts to increase representation.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Understanding barriers to adolescent participation in developmental neuroscience research
Increasing representation of youth in developmental neuroscience research is essential to elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of cognition, behavio…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
New lab paper in DCN! 🧠 We conducted interviews with adolescents to better understand their perceptions of neuroscience research and barriers to participation, w/qualitative data that is shaping how we design lab studies & efforts to increase representation.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Katie Insel
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
jeremymberg.github.io
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...
1/14
Reposted by Katie Insel
Thoughtful and well-informed op-ed from @ianlmorgan.bsky.social
Definitely worth a read!
www.the-scientist.com/nih-leadersh...
1/2
Definitely worth a read!
www.the-scientist.com/nih-leadersh...
1/2
NIH Leadership Is Failing Early Career Researchers
Halted training programs, funding chaos, and hiring freezes jeopardize advancement options for early career researchers.
www.the-scientist.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Thoughtful and well-informed op-ed from @ianlmorgan.bsky.social
Definitely worth a read!
www.the-scientist.com/nih-leadersh...
1/2
Definitely worth a read!
www.the-scientist.com/nih-leadersh...
1/2
Reposted by Katie Insel
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
nyti.ms
October 8, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
Reposted by Katie Insel
Delayed thank you to @fluxsociety.bsky.social for a wonderful meeting in Dublin earlier this month! Thank you to everyone who came to my poster on reward-motivated working memory across children, adolescents, and adults
September 29, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Delayed thank you to @fluxsociety.bsky.social for a wonderful meeting in Dublin earlier this month! Thank you to everyone who came to my poster on reward-motivated working memory across children, adolescents, and adults
Reposted by Katie Insel
🇺🇸 These dedicated public servants risked their careers to deliver an urgent message. 🚨
While the 1st amendment grants them the right to speak on matters of public concern, their protection is not guaranteed under an administration hostile to free speech.
Please take the time to listen and boost 🔥
While the 1st amendment grants them the right to speak on matters of public concern, their protection is not guaranteed under an administration hostile to free speech.
Please take the time to listen and boost 🔥
Federal workers are speaking out on how the Trump regime is harming Americans:
"We stand here today at a moment of the greatest assault of our lifetimes on our freedoms. The US Constitution is being shredded... We are here to call on Congress to stand up and stop it."
youtu.be/uw1KwIBgrCw?...
"We stand here today at a moment of the greatest assault of our lifetimes on our freedoms. The US Constitution is being shredded... We are here to call on Congress to stand up and stop it."
youtu.be/uw1KwIBgrCw?...
Mark Histed, NIH Scientist *speaking in personal capacity
YouTube video by Civil Servants Coalition
youtu.be
October 2, 2025 at 3:17 AM
🇺🇸 These dedicated public servants risked their careers to deliver an urgent message. 🚨
While the 1st amendment grants them the right to speak on matters of public concern, their protection is not guaranteed under an administration hostile to free speech.
Please take the time to listen and boost 🔥
While the 1st amendment grants them the right to speak on matters of public concern, their protection is not guaranteed under an administration hostile to free speech.
Please take the time to listen and boost 🔥
Reposted by Katie Insel
“American science, the gold-standard and world-leading science and innovation enterprise, is being destroyed….Congress has a rare moment of leverage to check Trump’s executive overreach and it must stand up and do so.”
- @markhisted.org, NIH neuroscientist
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
- @markhisted.org, NIH neuroscientist
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
This US government shutdown is different: what it means for science
President Trump’s budget office lays out guidelines for mass lay-offs across the federal government.
www.nature.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
“American science, the gold-standard and world-leading science and innovation enterprise, is being destroyed….Congress has a rare moment of leverage to check Trump’s executive overreach and it must stand up and do so.”
- @markhisted.org, NIH neuroscientist
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
- @markhisted.org, NIH neuroscientist
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Katie Insel
Exciting news! 🎉 Our Computational Neuroscience course has been awarded NIH BRAIN Initiative funding! Students will get hands-on experience w real BRAIN Initiative datasets, helping them build computational skills that are essential for the future of neuroscience.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
September 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Exciting news! 🎉 Our Computational Neuroscience course has been awarded NIH BRAIN Initiative funding! Students will get hands-on experience w real BRAIN Initiative datasets, helping them build computational skills that are essential for the future of neuroscience.
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Reposted by Katie Insel
Help @thetransmitter.bsky.social and @neuromatch.bsky.social understand what early-career neuroscientists need. Take just a few minutes to fill out the survey: www.thetransmitter.org/early-career...
#neuroskyence
#neuroskyence
September 12, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Help @thetransmitter.bsky.social and @neuromatch.bsky.social understand what early-career neuroscientists need. Take just a few minutes to fill out the survey: www.thetransmitter.org/early-career...
#neuroskyence
#neuroskyence
Reposted by Katie Insel
No 14-year-old should be tried as an adult. None.
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
House votes to charge D.C. 14-year-olds as adults
The House also voted to restrict judges from giving lighter sentences to young adults, among 14 D.C. crime-related policy proposals from the GOP.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:48 AM
No 14-year-old should be tried as an adult. None.
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
Reposted by Katie Insel
8 Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to enable 14-year-olds in DC to be tried as adults:
Cuellar
Davis (NC)
Gillen
Golden
Lee (NV)
Min
Perez
Vindman
Harmful, heinous, counterproductive, and deeply racist
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
Cuellar
Davis (NC)
Gillen
Golden
Lee (NV)
Min
Perez
Vindman
Harmful, heinous, counterproductive, and deeply racist
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
September 17, 2025 at 12:42 AM
8 Democrats just joined Republicans in voting to enable 14-year-olds in DC to be tried as adults:
Cuellar
Davis (NC)
Gillen
Golden
Lee (NV)
Min
Perez
Vindman
Harmful, heinous, counterproductive, and deeply racist
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
Cuellar
Davis (NC)
Gillen
Golden
Lee (NV)
Min
Perez
Vindman
Harmful, heinous, counterproductive, and deeply racist
clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
Reposted by Katie Insel
I wrote a little note on awards for diversity and science:
mwkraus.medium.com/a-note-on-aw...
mwkraus.medium.com/a-note-on-aw...
September 16, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I wrote a little note on awards for diversity and science:
mwkraus.medium.com/a-note-on-aw...
mwkraus.medium.com/a-note-on-aw...
Reposted by Katie Insel
So... where to go from here???
CONGRESS 👏 HAS 👏 POWER
Laws from Congress can help override this SCOTUS mess.
☎️ So tell your Senator to support Sen Baldwin's amendment to restore terminated NSF grants (or Durbin's for NIH)
🐘 *Especially* if you have a Repub Senator.
More context here:
CONGRESS 👏 HAS 👏 POWER
Laws from Congress can help override this SCOTUS mess.
☎️ So tell your Senator to support Sen Baldwin's amendment to restore terminated NSF grants (or Durbin's for NIH)
🐘 *Especially* if you have a Repub Senator.
More context here:
Senate panel raises hopes that NSF will restore killed grants
Republicans promise to work with Democrats to salvage defeated amendment
www.science.org
September 10, 2025 at 11:52 PM
So... where to go from here???
CONGRESS 👏 HAS 👏 POWER
Laws from Congress can help override this SCOTUS mess.
☎️ So tell your Senator to support Sen Baldwin's amendment to restore terminated NSF grants (or Durbin's for NIH)
🐘 *Especially* if you have a Repub Senator.
More context here:
CONGRESS 👏 HAS 👏 POWER
Laws from Congress can help override this SCOTUS mess.
☎️ So tell your Senator to support Sen Baldwin's amendment to restore terminated NSF grants (or Durbin's for NIH)
🐘 *Especially* if you have a Repub Senator.
More context here:
Reposted by Katie Insel
🧪 And House appropriators say: no cuts to NIH budget!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
September 1, 2025 at 10:37 PM
🧪 And House appropriators say: no cuts to NIH budget!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
House subcommittee version just came out (link below). Holds NIH flat at $48 billion.
To be clear: this is far from over. But a good sign that science still matters across both sides of aisle.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!
Reposted by Katie Insel
Listed are some of the many NIH research training programs that were terminated! Together, these programs supported thousands of trainees, whose careers are now in limbo. Such a great loss for discovery and innovation. We must protect our next generation of scientists!
#HandsOffNIH #ProtectScience
#HandsOffNIH #ProtectScience
We LOVE our trainees ! From @nihvigils.bsky.social today ❤️❤️
August 25, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Listed are some of the many NIH research training programs that were terminated! Together, these programs supported thousands of trainees, whose careers are now in limbo. Such a great loss for discovery and innovation. We must protect our next generation of scientists!
#HandsOffNIH #ProtectScience
#HandsOffNIH #ProtectScience
Reposted by Katie Insel
Great breakdown of the SCOTUS shadow docket ruling on NIH grants terminations by @strictscrutiny.bsky.social. Even though SCOTUS ruled that the grant recipients would likely succeed, they allowed the NIH to continue terminating the grants for now. My brain hurts from this one.
The Shadow Docket Just Won’t Quit
open.spotify.com
August 25, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Great breakdown of the SCOTUS shadow docket ruling on NIH grants terminations by @strictscrutiny.bsky.social. Even though SCOTUS ruled that the grant recipients would likely succeed, they allowed the NIH to continue terminating the grants for now. My brain hurts from this one.
This SCOTUS decision is not just about what words we can and cannot say in our grants. This ruling will destroy the careers of many scientists, and it will hit trainees and early career researchers the hardest. The future of scientific training and research innovation is at stake.
I just sent this email to Director Bhattacharya and am sending him a hard copy by registered mail.
1/14
1/14
August 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
This SCOTUS decision is not just about what words we can and cannot say in our grants. This ruling will destroy the careers of many scientists, and it will hit trainees and early career researchers the hardest. The future of scientific training and research innovation is at stake.