Student Perspectives

Why Neuroscience

This is a difficult question. I guess I have been fascinated with how people think since I was a kid, probably because I have family members with mental illness and developmental disabilities. This started as an interest in becoming an FBI agent part of the "behavioral analysis unit" to psychoanalyze criminals. In high school however, I realized I had more of a scientific brain than a law brain, and I learned that Neuroscience was something I could pursue.

Why The University of Rochester

It has a fantastic program with rotations allowing you to choose your lab, and the students/faculty are in tight knit groups that are very accepting. There are also several clubs and extracurriculars (PONs, BAC, NSDC etc.) that contribute to an enriching experience during your PhD that not only look very good on a resume, but are very rewarding at the end of the day.

Advice To Prospective Students

Do not choose your lab based on the science/funding, but the mentor.

Research Interests

Autism, language development (child --> aging), EEG, fMRI, ECoG

Learned Skills

EEG, fMRI, ECoG, coding in python and matlab, BIDs organization, cognitive assessments, mentoring students, behavior training for individuals with special needs, how to write a grant, how to write a paper, how to peer review, how to be self sufficient with your time in the lab, and more.

Current Research Projects

Language development in Autism using EEG and fMRI. Source localizing semantic comprehension using EEG and fMRI. Intercranial evidence of comprehending semantic errors. 

What are you plans after you earn your PhD degree?

Already got it! Woot! I plan to stay at the U of R for ~2y to finish up my thesis work and publish on the other data I have collected. After that, I will potentially do another post doc elsewhere for ~1y. Beyond that, if I still enjoy this type of work, then Ill definitely be continuing the full academic route and looking for a faculty position at RIT, Vermont, Boston etc.

Living In Rochester

Everything. There are many parks, hills and scenery for my runs, while also plenty of things to do in the city. It is super hipster, with awesome things on every corner like a cereal bar (you can order flights of cereal), an arcade bar (swillburger), a swanky place to bowl with leather couches and marble tables (radio social) etc. There are great festivals (lilac, park ave, cornhill) and concert venues. I even like the weather. There is also amazing food in Rochester both in quality and variety. The best places in my opinion are Nosh and Shema. 

Although not exactly important to me, when I first came here, someone told me that Rochester was the city that has the most breweries per square mile in the US, and this is a fact that I just love saying to people. However, all I can find is that we rank nationally as one of the cities with the most breweries per capita next to some very large cities. But, because Rochester is not very large relative to those other cities, the initial fact could still be true (https://www.foodandwine.com/beer/craft-beer/cities-most-craft-breweries).

Why Neuroscience

I’m interested in neurophysiological changes underlying genetic and neurological disorders 

Why The University of Rochester

Faculty and Labs fit well for my research interest. The NGP at Rochester has very collaborative environment. 

Advice To Prospective Students

No rush to decide on what exactly to do for research, utilize lab rotations as a great chance to explore around different labs.

Learned Skills

Programming, collaboration and communication skills, time management, research planing, and data organization. Operating non-invasive neuroimaging techniques (EEG, EMG, ultrasound imaging, MRI) in mouse.

Research Interests

• Neurophysiological changes of sensory processing in genetic and neurological disorders 
• Understand underlying neural mechanisms of neurophysiological changes in genetic and neurological disorders 
• Identify clinical relevant neurophysiological biomarkers for genetic and neurological disorders 

Current Research Projects

• Age, sex and genotype differences of auditory evoked potentials in the Cln3 -/- mouse model using EEG analysis 
• Age, sex and genotype differences of pathological storage of ceroid lipofuscin in the Cln3 -/- mouse model 
• Sleep EEG and EMG analysis in the batten mouse model 
• Collaboration Project: Functional ultrasound imaging of auditory evoked response in the batten mouse model 
• Developing Project: MRI and fMRI analysis of the batten mouse model 

Career Goals

Post-doc and potentially a faculty position 

Living In Rochester

Spring, summer and fall are really beautiful. Airport is very close to the campus, easy to travel for conferences.

Why Neuroscience

During my undergraduate Intro to Psychology course, I was particularly fascinated when we learned about the biology behind the mind and body. I quickly realized that at that intersection was the field of Neuroscience. I was drawn in by the vast complexity of this 3 pound lump in our skulls: how the brain controls behavior AND how behavior controls the brain. I wanted to deeply learn the systems and circuits behind this. 

Why The University of Rochester

When I interviewed with the UR Neuroscience Graduate Program, I was immediately struck by the clear sense of connectedness the current students had. It was obvious to me that fostering a network of support and community was important to the program. 

Additionally, I was very impressed at the plethora of student resources, affinity groups, and recreational groups that UR had for its graduate students. It was clear to me that UR wants to support its students holistically, going beyond their roles as trainees and researchers.

Advice To Prospective Students

YOU are the most important part of your education and research. Advocate for what you need. Ask questions to discover what works best for you, and don't settle for less than that. 

Learned Skills

When I started at the UR I had experience with animal behavior and psychopharmacology. But I shifted to human subjects research after a wonderful lab rotation and had to learn all the necessary skills with basically zero background: ethics and logistics of human subject research, EEG collection and processing, psychometric assessments, kinematic and gait analysis, to name a few. My mentors & lab-mates made this a fun and educational experience. If you are willing to learn something, people in the NGP are willing and excited to teach you!

Just as importantly, though, are the non-technical skills I have learned. My passion for science communication has led me to a lot of incredible opportunities to pursue this. I've learned how to think more critically about my science and others', & how to share this work with a variety of audiences. The myHub Career Services center here has also played a pivotal role in helping me sharpen my networking, goal setting, and time-management skills. Again, this only to name a few! My time at UR has really transformed me as a scientist and person. 

Research Interest

I am broadly interested in cognitive neurodevelopment and how the brain adapts when typical development is interrupted through injury or disorder.

Current Research Projects

My project currently uses Mobile Brain-Body Imaging ("MoBI") which combines EEG, motion-tracking, and behavior to characterize how the brain and body flexibility adapts (or not) to doing something cognitive and motoric at the same time. I am applying this method to ask how cognitive-motor interactions develop healthily, and how this development differs in children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The goal is to understand what factors promote beneficial neuroflexibility, and discover markers to identify who will and wont maintain this flexibility as they age.

Career Goals

I plan on pursuing a career in science communication. I'm still open to different options of what exactly that will look like, but I am passionate about sharing science in equitable and engaging ways and any job that allows me to do that is my goal.

Living In Rochester

Rochester is such a "sweet spot" for city-life and small-town feel. I love that within a single day I can hike a beautiful nature trail, go to a baseball game, and then enjoy dinner at a locally-owned, unique spot! Everything you could be in the mood for is within 30 minutes. 

Why Neuroscience

The brain is the most complicated, fascinating machine ever to exist, why not study how it works. How electrical impulses become thought and action.

Why The University of Rochester

The UR has a great glial contingent and it's growing. 

Advice for Prospective Students

Find a mentor you can really talk to. I mean really dig into anything with. That relationship will be the core of your PhD. 

Research Interests

Microglia circuit interactions, microglial regional diversity, microglial signaling, microglia-neuron communication, microglia modulation of synaptic plasticity

Current Research Projects

Mechanisms of microglial dynamics

Learned Skills

In vivo two-photon imaging, two-photon slice imaging, cerebellar behavioral assays, MATLAB programming, grant writing

What do you like about living in Rochester?

Rochester has great food, great people, great music, and is very affordable. The summers are beautiful and the winters are getting warmer!

Career Goals

I plan to get an academic post-doc and pursue a career in academia. 

Why Neuroscience

I have always been interested in biology and even more so how the brain works to do all the complex tasks that it does. I did neuroscience and research in undergrad and I wanted to continue that path.

Why The University of Rochester

I liked the people in the program, both professors and students. I also liked the additional programs available at Rochester for investigating different career paths.

Advice for Prospective Students

Read a lot of papers early and consistently. Get practice with presenting and writing as often as you can.

Career Goals

I'd like to leave academia for either industry or science policy.

Living In Rochester

Rochester is large enough to have various things to do while also being fairly close to places like the Adirondacks. However, it's also small enough to have little to no traffic so traveling is usually fairly easy.