Brain Matters Vol. 8 No. 1


Jessica George
Hi! My name is Jessica George and I’m a junior majoring in Molecular
and Cellular Biology and Brain and Cognitive Science. Outside of
school, I volunteer at a nursing home in the activities department,
where I work closely with residents who have dementia. In my free
time I love dancing, listening to music, and trying new restaurants!

Jeslyn Chen
I’m a rising sophomore majoring in psychology and minoring in
chemistry. I joined Brain Matters to combine my interests of
neuroscience, psychology, and journalism. Outside of this magazine, I
plan to become a student EMT at UIUC and enjoy drawing, going to
concerts, and thrifting.

Design Board

Esther Nam
Esther Nam is a junior on the pre-medical track majoring in Psychology
with a minor in Public Health. She is interested in exploring the cognitive
and neurological impacts of bilingualism, and is currently a research
assistant in the Educational Psychology Psycholinguistics Lab with a focus
on cognitive psych. In her free time, she loves to draw, play games, and
spend time with friends. After undergrad, Esther hopes to attend medical
school to become a physician.

Ruth Anderson
Ruth Anderson is a rising Sophomore at the University of Illinois
majoring in neuroscience and minoring in psychology. She joined Brain
Matters to get involved with the neuroscience community on campus
and learn more about the field. Ruth currently is hoping to pursue a
career in research. She is passionate about womens health and child
development. Outside of school Ruth enjoys hanging out with her
friends, crocheting, and reading.

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Lisa Patel
Lisa Patel is a rising junior and an Integrative Biology major on the pre-medical track with
minors in Chemistry and Nutrition at UIUC. Passionate about medicine and community
outreach, she co-founded and serves as President of the Illini Sheltering Hands Society,
where she teaches basic life-support skills and organizes volunteering initiatives. As Public
Relations Coordinator for REACT, Lisa coordinates hands-on chemistry demonstrations at
local elementary and middle schools. She’s volunteered over 300 hours at UI Health Hospital
while assisting across Emergency, Diagnostics, Radiology, University Health Services, and
Surgical departments. She also directs community health initiatives as Director of Medicine
for UIUC’s MEDLIFE chapter. Her end goal is to become a physician and she is dedicated to
expanding her knowledge to better serve her community.

Sania Shah
Sania Shah is a sophomore majoring in Brain and Cognitive Science
with a minor in Data Science. She works as an undergraduate
research assistant in the Cognitive Decision-Making Lab and dances
competitively with the Illini Raas team. Outside of Brain Matters,
Sania enjoys playing badminton with friends and curling up with a
good book and an iced coffee.

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