Olivia Sander '23, G'25: Neuroscience Program Broadened My Scientific Curiosities
My time as a neuroscience major at The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ allowed me to broaden my horizons and come out of my shell. I was granted opportunities to explore interesting topics, such as cellular and molecular neurobiology, and hone my research techniques in the research methods course, which proved essential for my graduate degree in biochemistry. These will continue to be crucial in my doctoral program.
Studying neuroscience provided me with flexibility, as I was often given a choice of which classes I wanted to take. I was fortunate to develop prosperous relationships with many of the professors in the neuroscience program, who mentored me not only in my academic life but my personal life, too. Along with that, I made lifelong friendships with my peers. The program’s community was nothing short of supportive, and we strived to lift each other up and lean on one another.
What Was the Focus of Your Research?
Starting the summer of my sophomore year, and under the guidance and supervision of Robert Waldeck, Ph.D., I took the lead on a research project titled: “The role of the telencephalon in the startle response plasticity of goldfish."
By the end of my senior year, I had become an expert at performing microsurgery on goldfish brains (a fun conversation starter in any setting) and presented a poster at the Celebration of Scholars event at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ. In my second year of graduate school, I presented my research at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Chicago.