Volume 8 (will be Vol 7 on site) Brain Matters Writers Hello! My name is Celeste and I’m a December ‘23 MCB and Psychology Alum. My last semester as a student I had the privilege to serve on the Brain Matters Exec Board as Social Chair. I currently work as a Mental Health Technician Trainee at an in-patient hospital in Chicago. I plan to continue working as I prepare myself to apply to medical school next year! My current hobbies include reading, spending time with my family and friends, and playing Animal Crossing New Horizons. Krisha Agarwal is a sophomore in MCB Honors. She is currently working in Prasanth Lab, which explores long non-coding RNAs in terms of hypoxia in cancer. Some of her interests include film, photography, and fashion. Brain Matters fuels her interest in writing and acts as a stepping stone for acquiring the necessary skills to publish her own research in the future, as she builds on her scientific knowledge. After her undergraduate years, she hopes to continue research in graduate school. Joy Akindulureni is a Junior studying Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience and minors in informatics and integrative biology. Her research interests are in neuroimaging, neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Isabelle is a Freshman at the University of Illinois majoring in Neuroscience. Isabelle became involved in Brain Matters to learn more about writing scientific articles and innovations in neuroscience. In addition to writing for Brain Matters, Isabelle is involved in McKinley Health Stress Management Peers, LAS Leaders, and Women’s Glee Club. In the future, Isabelle hopes to attend medical school and continue reading and writing about new scientific innovations! Br ai n M at te rs W ri te rs Erin Ford is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Biomolecular Engineering. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and painting. She hopes to help others increase their knowledge about neuroscience through her writing in Brain Matters. Harrison Kennedy is a freshman studying neuroscience and Spanish with a minor in legal studies on a pre-law track. He spends most of his time in the Auerbach Lab as an undergraduate research assistant where he investigates auditory perception in rats and the interactions between fragile x syndrome and cerebral processing of auditory stimuli. Outside of lab work, he is an active member in the Spikeball/Roundnet club, Pre-law Honors Society, Phi Alpha Delta professional pre-law fraternity, and he’s in the process of registering a new RSO for next semester. In his free time, he loves to hike, write, and have fun with friends. Sarah Masud is a sophomore studying Psychology and Information Sciences with a minor in Art & Design. Some of her academic interests include cognition, human-computer interaction, and treating psychiatric disorders. She enjoys drawing, finding new music, and crocheting as well! Outside of Brain Matters, Sarah is also involved in Design Innovation Illinois, the Undergraduate Psychology Association, and Psi Eta Mu, a professional information sciences fraternity. She hopes to continue furthering her understanding of neuroscience and exploring topics she’s passionate about through writing for the journal. Casey is a sophomore majoring in chemical and biomolecular engineering. She works in the Sirk Lab, conducting research on the gut microbiome. In her free time, she enjoys reading and taking her dog for hikes. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school. Brain Matters・Volume VII 94 Vraj is a Freshman at the University of Illinois majoring in Neuroscience. Vraj joined Brain Matters to learn about more niche topics in neuroscience and research in the field. In addition to writing for Brain Matters, Vraj is a Course Assistant for STAT 100 and a volunteer at Avicenna Community Health Center. Vraj hopes to explore more in the field of neuroscience from a medical perspective in the future! Ananya Sampathkumar is a freshman majoring in Neuroscience with an interest in minoring in journalism. Outside of Brain Matters, Ananya is a part of TFN, Mannmukti, a volunteer at Carle Hospital, and works at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a tour guide and student ambassador. In her free time, Ananya likes to read books, make jewelry, watch movies, and hangout with her friends! Vani Sharma is majoring in MCB Honors on the pre-med track, with a minor in public health & neuroscience certificate. She is a writer for Brain Matters, which allows her the opportunity to learn about the brain & its neuroanatomy in depth along with her interest in brain disorders. On campus, she is heavily involved with medical clubs & the Illini Strings Orchestra, serves as an undergraduate research ambassador, is a part of the Madak Erdogan Women's Health & Metabolism Lab, and works as a teaching assistant for chemistry. After graduating from UIUC, she hopes to attend medical school. Pravika Srivastava is a rising sophomore at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. She is an aspiring physician hoping to specialize in psychiatry. She is a writer for Brain Matters which gives her the opportunity to fully immerse herself in her interests regarding the nervous system and brain. In addition to writing, she pursues several other activities on campus. These include volunteering in the Pediatric ICU at Carle Foundation Hospital, serving as a chair member for the American Medical Students Association as well as being a member of the pre-health professional fraternity Alpha Epsilon Delta. Pravika is thrilled to share her first article and latest research with Brain Matters. Through this organization and the several others, she is a part of, Pravika is determined to increase awareness and understanding about the brain and field of neuroscience. Br ai n M at te rs W ri te rs Br ai n M at te rs W ri te rs Kaitlyn is a sophomore in bioengineering on the therapeutics track with a minor in statistics. She is involved in various RSOs such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Women in Engineering (WIE), and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). She is currently in two research labs the I^2 Lab and Gritton Lab. In her free time, Kaitlyn loves to bake puff pastries, go to the gym, learn new pieces on the piano, and hang out with her friends. She hopes to spark readers' interest in neurological issues and deepen her knowledge through Brain Matters. Brain Matters・Volume VII 96 Esther Nam is a sophomore on the pre-med track majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Health. She is currently interested in exploring the cognitive and neurological aspects of bilingualism but is still open to other areas of research. While having started her experience in the Educational Psychology Psycholinguistics Lab with a focus on cognitive psychology, she hopes to branch out to other areas as well, including neuroscience. Outside of academics, she enjoys digital drawing, watching shows, and playing video games with friends. After undergrad, she hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career in medicine.