Purpose 

Grey Matters first started at the University of Washington to broaden access to neuroscience content. At the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), we have decided to embody the very purpose Grey Matters was founded.

Neuroscience is quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing fields. Developments in technology dealing with the brain, our understanding of emotions, and discoveries tackling neurodegenerative conditions are accelerating at a rapid rate. It therefore becomes imperative to broaden access to these interesting yet useful neuroscience topics for anyone to engage and glean information from.

However, there is a lack of neuroscience-dedicated journals that communicate effectively to individuals without a science background. So often, we may read science articles or listen to the latest advancements in science and technology in the news. Yet, so few of these topics are neuroscience-related. Given the rapid advancement in the field, many are left uninformed about what is going on. Grey Matters hopes to serve as a focal point for neuroscience information that should be widely accessible.

Scope

Penn Grey Matters is not restricted to neuroscience students. Grey Matters is dedicated to being a free site that any curious individual can go to and learn more about fascinating neuroscience topics.

Furthermore, our team is not solely comprised of neuroscience students, as it would not achieve the depth and variability that we are seeking. Instead, we are composed of artists, engineers, writing students, and many others who fall under different interdisciplinary categories. To initiate the writing process, any student of any major with a scintillating idea can begin writing articles that in some form or manner intersect with neuroscience. This allows for a limitless number of ideas to be discussed. When thought about, one may quickly realize the importance of the brain and emotions in all aspects of daily life.

Commitment

At Grey Matters, our mission is to communicate insightful neuroscience topics. We plan to write articles relating to disease, psychology studies, brain conditions, technology, emotion, reason, and many more. We also plan on implementing a “Latest Advancements” section on our website to communicate the latest developments in the field that would be otherwise inaccessible without some form of disclosure.

In addition, Penn Grey Matters will also provide free podcasts. These podcasts will serve as engaging pieces where we interact with Penn faculty and discuss current research, hear fascinating experiments they conducted, and inquire about where the field is headed. Not only is this medium useful for researchers as it may spur research ideas, but it is also useful for everyone to keep up with the latest developments in the neuroscience world.

Lastly, Penn Grey Matters is also committed to writing and discussing animal behavior. So often the significance of animal research is not properly communicated. When in reality, animals like drosophila, mice, and rats make up the core of neuroscience research that is eventually translated to human studies. Therefore, we are committed to writing about topics concerning unique animal behavior or the effects of certain conditions on animals.

Going Forward

The Penn Grey Matter chapter was founded in January 2025, and our first issue will be released Fall of 2025. Our Fall topic will concern the growing advancements of technology and artificial intelligence concerning the brain. We will also conduct our first podcast. We look forward to writing articles and interviewing faculty members who have projects related to this topic. However, before then, we will utilize our artistic and writing capabilities to create several articles and conduct our very first podcast. 

As we embark on our continuous journey to learn more about neuroscience, we hope you will join us.

Elgin Tawiah (Editor-in-Chief)                Jeffrey Batres (Author)