Lesson Plan/Activity
Summer Program in Computational Psychiatry Education (SPICE)
Who this is for:
Curriculum Overview
The Summer Program in Computational Psychiatry (SPICE) is a free, open-access curriculum designed to introduce learners to the foundations of computational psychiatry and neuroscience. This resource offers a structured, two-week learning experience that integrates neuroscience, mental-health research, computational thinking, and the societal relevance of brain science. Through interactive, modular lessons, high school students develop scientific literacy while exploring how data-driven approaches can deepen our understanding of brain function, psychiatric conditions, and the broader social contexts in which mental-health challenges unfold.
Overarching Themes
SPICE engages high school students in a comprehensive curriculum that blends neuroscience with computational tools. Key themes include:
- Understanding Brain-Behavior Relationships: Exploring how neural circuits relate to cognition, emotion, decision-making, and psychiatric symptoms.
- Modeling Mental Health Processes: Introducing students to the logic of computational models—how they can clarify mechanisms, reveal patterns, and support clinical insight.
- Ethics and Societal Impact: Encouraging reflection on how computational approaches influence diagnosis, treatment, equity, and the lived experience of mental health conditions.
About the Curriculum
Created by the Center for Computational Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, SPICE is designed for high school students interested in neuroscience, psychology, mental health, or data science. No prior programming experience is required; lessons are scaffolded to support learners through step-by-step explanations and interactive examples.
By integrating foundational neuroscience content with computational tools and real-world mental-health applications, SPICE equips students with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to engage thoughtfully with the rapidly growing domain of computational psychiatry.
All modules are delivered through an interactive Jupyter Book with integrated Google Colab notebooks, making the curriculum accessible without any software installation. With Dana Foundation support, the open-access design promotes equitable learning opportunities and invites broad participation in an emerging interdisciplinary field.