France and Amsterdam study abroad program explores art’s effect on the brain

Washington State University is inviting students to explore how the human brain perceives art during a two-week study abroad program, May 16-31 in Paris and Amsterdam.

The faculty-led Art and the Brain program blends neuroscience, visual perception, and cultural immersion, inviting students to explore how the brain processes art - and how art, in turn, reveals insights about perception, emotion, memory, and neurological health.

In addition to studying works by Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, and other influential artists, the trip includes ample time for students to explore tourist attractions, a boat tour through Amsterdam's iconic canals, and a guided exploration of the Anne Frank House neighborhood.

"My favorite part of the trip was seeing the art in person and gaining a deeper appreciation for the intersection between art and the brain," said Allie Jensen, who attended the trip as an undergraduate and is now a neuroscience graduate student at WSU. "In class, we tend to focus on the in-depth scientific details, but we don't always consider how the brain integrates sensory information to shape our perception of art."

Jensen ('22 Neurosci.) said the Museum of Illusions in Paris was a prime example of how art can be processed differently by others, which was one of the many classroom concepts applied through the program.

"Certain works of art can be perceived differently depending on how the viewer interprets them. For instance, factors such as shading, shape, scale, and how the visual system integrates that information alter how we see art," she said.

Matteya Proctor ('24 Neurosci.), who also attended as an undergraduate and is now pursuing her neuroscience graduate degree, said the trip was by far one of her favorite experiences at WSU.

"Even the coursework that was associated with it was fun to do," Proctor said. "I'm still shocked I actually got credit that applied toward my degrees for doing such a fun and exciting thing."

Proctor took a keen interest in Monet and other artists from the Impressionism movement.

"Something that was shocking to me at all of the museums was the size of some of these paintings," Proctor said. "You see pictures of them online, but you don't understand that they're floor to ceiling in like 40-foot ceiling rooms - they're huge. But on the flip side of that, the Mona Lisa is tiny."

Proctor, who, along with Jensen, had never ventured out of North America, said the trip opened her eyes to new cultures and helped build self-confidence.

"The trip was one of my first times being on an airplane," Proctor said. "I love traveling, and I love getting to see new things. That's always been something I want to do, but I'm also really close to my family and like to be home for the summers, so this trip just fit what I was looking for."

Associate professor Samantha Gizerian, who leads the trip to France and the Netherlands, said one of the greatest parts of the trip is it allows students the time to explore history and experience the culture of Paris and Amsterdam.

"We do one or two things a day, and typically the students have the afternoon and evening free," Gizerian said. "If they take a buddy, then they're free to go about the city, so a lot of them explore their own interests."

Gizerian said the trip has a neuroscience bend but it is open to all WSU majors.

"Students don't need a neuroscience background to benefit from this program. If you're curious about art, history, or how the brain shapes our experience of the world, this trip offers a unique way to learn while exploring two incredible cities," Gizerian said. "It's about helping students see art - and the world - a little differently."