Biography
I'm a PhD student in Cognitive Neuroscience at the CONNECT Lab, Beckman Institute, and I somehow convinced people that my degrees in Electrical Engineering (B.S.) and Bioelectrical Engineering (M.S.) were perfect preparation for poking around in brains. During my master's, I built an EEG-based brain-computer interface to control a cycling rehabilitation system; because why use your muscles when we can all be lazy? JK.
Now I'm exploring cognitive neuroscience from multiple angles. One project involves fMRI, hunting for neural signatures of executive function to figure out why some people adapt better than others. The other has me working with the Mind in Vitro team, getting hands-on with actual tiny neurons. Reverse-engineering how brains decide to get their act together, from the macro to the micro level; the messier the puzzle, the better. :)
I thrive in the sweet spot between spontaneous creativity and strategic planning: give me an impossible challenge and watch me plot fifteen moves ahead while improvising the sixteenth. Former gymnast turned aspiring pianist (progress: glacial, execution: messy, vibes: immaculate). The tougher it gets, the harder I dig in.
Courses Taught
Cognitive Neuroscience Lab