MATLAB has become the de facto standard tool for scientific computing in neuroscience. Yet, to date, there has been no textbook with a specific focus on neuroscience applications, effectively stranding and abandoning entire generations of students, both undergraduate and graduate.

Six University of Chicago neuroscientists--including current students Michael Lusignan and Adam Seth Dickey; assistant professor Nicho Hatsopoulos; Marc Benayoun, SB'04; and Tanya I. Baker, SM'02, PhD'06--took on the challenge to write a "friendly," "gentle" invitation to MATLAB for neuroscientists, empowering them. Because in the 21st century, scientific computing is effectively part of the liberal arts: all the knowledge that a free man should have in order to positively participate in the life of the mind.