Research Experience

2018-2024

May 2020-2024: PhD candidate

2019-2020: member, GRIDlab

2018-2019: rotation student

Graduate Program in Neuroscience

University of Washington

Seattle, WA

Advisors: Jeff Ojemann, MD and Steve Perlmutter, PhD

Collects invasive electrocorticography (ECoG) and deep brain stimulator (DBS) data from clinical patients undergoing neurosurgical interventions for epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and essential tremor
Leads analysis of ECoG and DBS data for a number of ongoing projects (see Research)
Collaborates with other graduate students and faculty on design and implementation of novel stimulation-based experiments examining sensorimotor systems and engineering plasticity
Mentors undergraduate students on semi-independent research projects (3 students mentored to date)

2015-2018

Wesleyan University

Middletown, CT

Advisor: John Kirn, PhD

Led an independent research project investigating the role of adult neurogenesis in learning and memory in zebra finches by examining neural habituation to a repeated novel conspecific song
- Utilized immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to image and quantify activation patterns via the expression of the immediate early gene ZENK in the caudomedial nidopallium
Wrote senior thesis that was awarded High Honors by faculty affiliated with the Neuroscience and Behavior Program

and presented findings at department research symposium

Spring 2017

Danish Institute for Study Abroad Science Research Practicum

Sjællands Universitethospital

Roskilde, Denmark

Advisor: Troels Wesenberg Kjær, MD, PhD

Worked independently to analyze and visualize spectral features of photoparoxysmal response (PPR) in clinical EEG recordings to begin quantifying and categorizing the range of PPR seen in epilepsy patients
Presented findings to physicians and graduate students at lab meeting; wrote report summarizing results

Summer 2015, Summer 2016

Neurological Surgery Summer Student Program

University of Washington

Seattle, WA

Advisor: Jeff Ojemann, MD

Analyzed simultaneously recorded brain (electrocorticography; ECoG) and muscle (electromyography) data to understand brain control of complex arm movement
Compared large-scale resting state connectivity in ECoG recordings from humans and macaque monkeys, which contributed to a peer-reviewed manuscript
Examined ECoG data from a virtual rotation task to probe the neural basis of motor planning behavior
Presented findings to senior researchers and graduate students at lab meeting and to non-scientists at a program

concluding session; participated in and presented at weekly journal club