Neuroscience Students
Congratulations to the Neuroscience graduates of 2010!
Back row: Nicole Soiseth, Melissa Mackley, Erin Watt, Amanda Sati, Ashley Baumann, Nick Murray, Chad Kumm
Front row: Erin Eppler, Chelsea Zamora, Amanda Fisher, Mark Hartman, Cathryn Nelson
Meet some Neuroscience Minors!
2011
Kyle Boe ‘11
Majors: Chemistry and Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Experience/Interests: I've only had the Intro to Neuro course thus far but am finding it very interesting. Favorite thing so far has been talking with our guest speaker about grad school and the NIH and what it has to offer.
Future Plans: For this summer I am working in the Chem department and doing research/testing new lab experiments for intro courses in chemistry. Also I am applying to dentistry schools at the end of the summer/early fall...
Cassie Breitenfeldt ‘11
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Experience/Interests: I enjoy learning how the brain works and process information. I am most interested in how the physiological changes in the body and brain react to different stimuli and stressors.
Future Plans: I am still pondering my future plans. Let’s hope I have that figured out soon. For now, I will be working at TPC golf course in Blaine, completing my last year at Gustavus and starting research with Sanjive Qazi using the skills that I learned from being a neuroscience minor!
Jeff (Mitch) Carlson ‘11
Majors: Biology and Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Interests: Neural engineering
Future Plans: Play hockey in Europe for a year, then apply to med school
Stephanie Hardel ‘11
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Experience/Interests: I have done research with Dr. Kimberly Murphy using bioinformatics tools provided by the U.S. Department of Energy to annotate genes of Cellulomonas flavigena. We are interested in the genes that are responsible for degradation of cellulose for use in the production of biofuels.
Future Plans: Attend medical school or attend graduate school for either neuroscience or microbiology/immunology/cancer biology.
Lauren Masak ‘11
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Future Plans: I plan on going to Grad School for clinical psychology to get my PhD
Jodie McGinlay ‘11
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Interests/Experience: My favorite topic so far as been the weakly electric fish we studied during Intro to Neuroscience. We measured the electrical organ discharge of the fish in the presence of a conducting and non-conducting object. I’m really looking forward to Neuroscience seminar and capstone to work more hands on with groups of people on the topic of Neuroscience.
Future Plans: This summer I’m interning with a physical therapist in Oregon and taking physics I and II
Cydni Smith ‘11
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Info: She has been the Treasurer for Women’s Rugby from fall 2007 on, a Collegiate Fellow for fall 2008-spring 2010, and the President of Democracy Matters from spring 2009 on.
Experience/Interests: Cydni has a strong interest in the physical and perceived effects of hallucinogens especially the use of entheogens and has written a paper on that topic for Drugs and Behavior.
Future Plans: She will be continuing her internship with the Michigan Cardiovascular Outcomes and Reporting Program (MCORRP) where she collected patient information through online medical records, developed a new database to track a novel follow-up system, shadowed doctors (including clinic, cath lab and coronary bypass surgery), developed and implemented a research project surrounding childhood obesity, had an abstract published and presented in the Best Poster Competition at the ACC.10 scientific session. Ultimately, she hopes to spend a year abroad with a philanthropic organization and then attend medical school.
Carl Stenoien ‘11
Major: Biology (Possibly Psychology)
Minor: Neuroscience
Interests: I am very interested in biological psychology and evolutionary psychology. My interest in these topics was sparked by a Nobel Conference speaker named Robin Dunbar (Oxford) in 2008. I love how easy and necessary it is to meld the disciplines of ecology, physiology, evolution, psychology, and anthropology to truly begin to answer a question in this field.
My future plans are to attend graduate school and hopefully find a comprehensive and fulfilling career of research in the fields of evolution, behavior, and other scientific endeavors not yet even thought of.
Cheng Vang ‘11
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Summer plan is to volunteer at LifeWorks and hopefully find a temporary job.
As for the future I hope to work with rehabilitation, especially with victims
of stroke or other brain injuries.
Justin VerMeer ‘11
Major: Biology
Minors: Neuroscience and Religion
Experience/Interests: Well, I don't have a ton of experience, but plenty of interest! I am particularly interested in auditory and sensation. Also, mapping electrical pulses from the Black Ghost Knifefish, that was a blast. I've read that if treated properly they can live for many years, I've experienced little luck with such, but enjoyed my time with them while I could!
Future Plans: I'll spend the summer working at Camp Manito-wish in northern Wisconsin, return for my senior year, while hopefully discovering what it is that I will do for the rest of my life.
Sara Yungner ‘11
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Favorite Neuroscience Memories: when Jan had to get down on her hands and knees and hunt for the escaped cockroaches and also when Mike imitated bat sonar frequencies (both in Intro to Neuro)
Future Plans: Attend medical school after graduation or following participation in the Teach for America program. This summer I will be volunteering in the Emergency Department at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, MN a few times a week and possibly participating in the U of M LSSURP (Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program).
2012
Jenna Chapman ‘12
Major: Psychology
Minor: Japanese, Neuroscience
Experience/Interests: the brain’s biological impact on psychology and behavior
Future Plans: Working at a medical vocabulary company for the summer; planning on clinical research or Physician’s Assistant school specializing in neurology after college
Alexandra Erickson ‘12
Major: Biology
Minor: Neuroscience
Future plans: Medical school
Jean-Paul Noel ‘12
Major: Psychology
Minor: Neuroscience
Future Plans: This summer I will be working as a research assistant at Frank Kiel’s development and cognition lab at Yale University. I plan on pursuing a PhD in cognitive/social psychology.