Mentor: Marissa Scavuzzo (Tesar Lab)

Nina Abercrombie is a rising senior undergraduate student at Cleveland State University studying biology. She is a Thrive and College Now Scholar. She earned her Associate of Arts and Associate of Science from Cuyahoga Community College. She was the class valedictorian of 2021 at Cleveland Early College at John Hay…

Mentor: Maria Clara Selles (Chao Lab)

Araf Ahmed is part of the 2024 SURFiN fellows cohort. He is an undergraduate student studying biology at CUNY Baruch College. His research interests include understanding neurodegenerative diseases, stem cells and gene editing.

Raine Brickan is from Las Vegas and is a part of Denison University’s class of 2025. She works as a teaching assistant for the Department of Biology at Denison during the school year; additionally, she is a pharmacy and clinic volunteer during the summer…

Amaya Chikuni is from Mesa, Arizona. She started her undergraduate career studying biology at Northern Arizona University. She later transferred to Brigham Young University (BYU) and switched to neuroscience because of her interest in autism research and working with children with autism…

Elysia Colon will be joining the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences as an undergraduate research assistant in the Rosenblau Lab at The George Washington University, where she currently studies psychology. Her research interests include the lifetime trajectory of autism…

Adrien Corniere is a French biology student. He is studying at the University of Bordeaux. He is in his third year of a biology bachelor’s degree. Adrien became interested in the world of science when he was in middle school, and as a result, he chose the scientific track with a specialization in life and earth sciences in high school. After that, he went to the University of Sciences and Technologies in Bordeaux to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology…

Elina Coudroy is a French undergraduate life sciences and a third-year student, at the University of Bordeaux, France. She moved around the globe throughout most of her childhood, having lived in Sana’a, Yemen; Lagos, Nigeria; Jakarta, Indonesia, and Dubai, the UAE…

Isabella Day is a fourth-year undergraduate student at The George Washington University, pursuing her B.S. in psychological and brain sciences with a minor in nutrition science. She is interested in public health, neuroscience and abnormal psychology. She has experience working with brain injury survivors and developmentally…

Sophia Flatt is an undergraduate at the University of Utah studying biology, with an emphasis on neurobiology and a minor in chemistry in the Honors College. She has been assisting with research at the Shcheglovitov Lab at the University of Utah and at Echelon Biosciences to gain experience in neuroscience for graduate school…

Rouxian Huang is a sophomore affiliated with Georgetown University. She is studying human science in the School of Health. In high school, Rouxian actively participated in various activities, including volunteering as a junior health scholar at Swedish Hospital, founding the Health and Science Club and reporting for the Sammamish Independent, a local newspaper. Driven by her interests in biology and a passion for contributing…

Judith James is a student at the University of Texas at Dallas pursuing her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience with a minor in Spanish. She is involved in her school community by participating in outreach activities hosted by United Mission Relief and Women’s Health Initiative, clubs that focus on providing basic needs to refugees and women respectively. In previous years, Judith shadowed doctors and volunteered at hospitals…

Apolline Joliot is an undergraduate student at the University of Bordeaux pursuing a biology degree. She is passionate about neuroscience and completed an internship within the team of neurophysiology of brain circuits at the Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, during which she worked on the role of the cerebellum and limbic system in controlling the extinction of fear. As part of SURFiN…

Félix Joubert graduated with an Associate Degree of Science in June 2023 and is now preparing the last year of his Bachelor of Science at the University of Bordeaux. After high school, he completed youth training in motorcycle mechanics while working as a mechanic at Honda New Bike in Merignac. During the pandemic, he realized his real passion since his youth has been science, especially biology and neuroscience…

Rebecca Menendez is studying biomedical engineering on a pre-med track at the University of Miami. She has worked as a research assistant for the past two years at Ophthalmic Biophysics Center, a lab that works in conjunction with Bascom Palmer. Her work has focused on lens accommodation and evolution with Bianca Heilmann and Jean-Marie Parel. Rebecca is part of the Medical Scholars Program and hopes…

Lily Meyer is a third-year student at Webster University in St. Louis pursuing a dual major in biological sciences and psychological science. She has always maintained an interest in scientific research and has worked as a research intern at Pluton Biosciences. She holds a fervent curiosity of the world, asking questions…

Vy Nguyen is an undergraduate student at the University of Utah currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in biological science. She began her studies at the University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and transferred to the University of Utah to further her academic pursuits. In the Shcheglovitov Lab, she had the opportunity to collaborate with Kandy Lizett Napan, focusing on the fields of neurobiology and neuroscience…

Ana Carolina Abreu completed a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and her master’s degree at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, and Université de Bordeaux, France, as part of Neurasmus: European Master in Neuroscience. She is now pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Essex Online in England. During her studies in Brazil, Ana Carolina has worked as a research assistant…

Brenner Philbrook is an undergraduate student studying physiology at the University of Washington. He is a Filipino American, first-generation college student that not only enjoys neuroscience but also takes pride in connecting with his culture and being involved in the healthcare field.

Luisa Fernanda Quispe is an international student from Peru studying neuroscience and studio arts at Brandeis University. Luisa is currently interested in the development of treatments and therapies for neurological disorders, particularly on drug delivery methods and how drugs are engineered to get access to the brain…

Aya Sahib is a rising senior at the University of Washington (UW), majoring in biochemistry and minoring in bioethics. She is interested in clinical research and aspires to become a physician in the future. At UW, she is an officer of the Women in Science Society and is passionate about uplifting minorities in STEM. In the past, she was a Fred Hutch SHIP intern and analyzed the effectiveness of gene editing the CD33 gene in the setting of acute myeloid leukemia treatment…

Cecilia Scaricamazza is currently a bachelor’s student in biology at La Sapienza University of Rome. Since approaching university studies, and thanks to her work experiences in organizing activities for psychomotor and social development of elementary school children, she has developed a strong interest in the behavioral and relational aspects of people. From her direct approach with people in…

Alishba Silat is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she is pursuing a double major in psychology and cognitive science. In her school community she serves as a first-year leader, providing valuable support to incoming freshmen as they navigate their college journey. In addition, Alishba volunteers with the Crisis Text Line, offering much-needed assistance to individuals in crisis…

Senghong Sing is currently a junior majoring in biology in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Houston. She is an international student from Cambodia and has already earned an A.S. degree from Lone Star College prior to being selected as a SURFiN fellow. As a biology student…

Yvette Sol is a fourth-year pre-medical student at Washington University in St. Louis studying biology and philosophy-neuroscience-psychology. She has a passion for the realms of neuroscience and genomics research and aspires to attend medical school after completing her undergraduate studies and contribute to the medical field as a physician. Yvette has over three years of valuable experience as an undergraduate…

Guoria Sun is an ambitious undergraduate student at the University of Toronto specializing in molecular biology and chemistry. With a deep passion for neuroscience, she is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of the human brain. She hopes to help bridge the gap between scientific discovery and clinical applications in the field of neuroscience, inspired by the desire to make a meaningful impact on human health…

Toni Claire Tacorda is an undergraduate student at the University of Houston, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biotechnology with a focus on bioinformatics. She is actively engaged on campus and is a proud member of the Gamma Sigma chapter of Delta Gamma, the Society for Biological Engineering and the Filipino Student Association. Her fascination for scientific research began during her high school Capstone program…

Corrin Vanna (she/they) is a third-year undergraduate neuroscience student at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). She advocates for the integration of seemingly unrelated fields into medicine and neuroscience, such as art, philosophy and noetics. Their drive to work within this field stems from a visceral love for humankind. In the future, they intend to pursue gene editing research or medicine after graduation…

Taylin Ware is a rising sophomore at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is studying psychology with a concentration in neuroscience and aspires to become a pediatric neuropsychologist. She is interested in health equity in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders in minority populations, particularly for Black children, and is dedicated to using her time as a SURFiN…

Luke Zaabel grew up on a farm outside of the small town of Kellogg, Iowa. He will be a fourth-year undergraduate studying at the University of Iowa and is on track to complete a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience alongside minors in biology and chemistry. During his time at the University of Iowa, he has worked as a nursing assistant in the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (UIHC) as well as an undergraduate research assistant…

Baihe Zhang is an ambitious and dedicated undergraduate student majoring in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. Her passion for understanding the complexities of neuroscience has fueled her academic pursuits. While not having a specific interest in research, she recognizes its value in expanding her knowledge and contributing to scientific advancements…