JUNE 2019: Each of these NBB undergraduates will blog about their experiences and neuroscience while they are in Paris. Please read and comment freely.
Kayla Allen: Hello! My name is Kayla Allen, and I am a dual degree student majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Nursing, so I will be continuing next year to finish my final year of School of Nursing! I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but I have the pleasure of studying aboard in Paris, France this summer. I’m looking forward to furthering my knowledge of neuroscience and its ability to shape everyday life. I’m especially excited for the ability to explore Parisian culture, history, and architecture through exploration and photography
Nava Amalfard: My name is Nava Amalfard. I am a graduating senior, obsessed with hip hop, dancing, and baking. If I am not curled up with a book or wandering lost somewhere, you will find me on my laptop with too many tabs open exploring the depths of yelp. I love exploring cities by foot and am a podcast junkie. I am excited to be on this neuroscience program, learning about the brain on a deeper level surrounded by the beauty and vibrancy of Paris.
Aliyah Auerbach: Hi! My name is Aliyah Auerbach, an Atlanta-based rising senior at Emory University. I am majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, with a double major in Music Performance. I currently work in a Neuroscience and Animal Behavior lab studying the factors that help LGN neurons survive V1 lesion-prompted degeneration in the blindsight pathway of macaque monkeys. I have never been abroad before, so this entire trip is brand new territory! Some of my interests include reading, singing, and playing the occasional game of tennis. All in all, I am so excited to immerse myself in a new culture while learning more about neuroscience (and good food) in the process.
Kendall Campbell: Bonjour! My name is Kendall Campbell and I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University. Throughout the school year, I work in cellular biology lab researching methods to improve natural axonal regeneration. This is my first time visiting Paris, as well as my first time ever visiting Europe. In my free time, I hope to enjoy visiting the many Parisian cafes, studying in Champ de Mars, and expanding my French vocabulary beyond three phrases. Au revoir!
Merry Chen: Hello! I’m Merry, and I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology and minoring in Philosophy. I’m really interested in neurodegeneration and how the environmental exposures can influence that, and hope to study both in the future either as a researcher or in medicine. I have never been to Europe before, so I am very excited to be able to study abroad in Paris this summer, where I hope to learn a lot of neuroscience and French language and culture at the same time!
Sydney Dennis: Bonjour, my name is Sydney Dennis! I’m from Barrington, Rhode Island and I’m a rising Senior in the NBB program. I’m so excited to be in Paris and develop a greater understanding about the French culture and its involvement in the history of neuroscience. I love art and architecture as well, so being able to explore all the beauty that this city has to offer will be a fantastic experience!
Samantha Distler: Hi, I’m Samantha Distler a rising senior majoring in Quantitative Sciences and Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. On campus, I work in the Saikawa research group doing statistical and spatial analyses of heavy metal contaminants that lead to cognitive deficits. I have never been to Paris before but I’m thrilled to be in such a beautiful, historical city learning about neuroscience. In my free time here, I like to explore the city, take walks by the Seine, and hunt for the best café in Paris.
Ben Furman: Hi! My name is Ben Furman, and I’m a rising senior at Emory University majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Music. I’m incredibly excited to partake in this unique experience of studying neuroscience in Paris as well as exploring the incredible French culture. Following graduation, I plan to take a gap while working on applications to MD/MPH programs, where I hope to be able to pursue a career in public mental health.
Harry Huang: Bonjour! My name is Harry Huang and I am a rising senior majoring in NBB. I am from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China and I am very excited to explore Paris while studying Neuroscience. My research at Emory is focused on Alzheimer’s disease, and I hope to become a Neurology doctor in the future. I am a soccer (Arsenal + Real Madrid) fan and I am looking forward to watching the UCL and Europa finals in Paris as well as experiencing all aspects of the French arts and cultures.
Radhika Kadakia: Bonjour! My name is Radhika (people call me Rads). I’m going to be a rising senior studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Religious Studies. I am from a town in Central Jersey and in my free time I enjoy hiking, stargazing, and listening to music while lying in different parks. I am thrilled about this first-hand experience of Paris and cannot wait to immerse myself in the incredible food, language, culture and research here. At Emory, I research at the Hess Lab in the department of pharmacology that studies mice models of dystonia, a neurological movement disorder. After completing my undergraduate studies, I will be pursuing a career in healthcare (maybe even abroad)!
Nikita Khan: Bonjour, my name is Nikita Khan. I am a rising senior from Georgia, and I am majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. I am excited to learn about the rich art and science history of Paris while experiencing it firsthand. In my free time, I love to eat, shop, and socialize. I also love dancing and makeup! I am stoked for this summer opportunity in Paris.
Alyssa Kim: Hi everyone! My name is Alyssa Kim, and I am a graduating senior from northern Virginia. I am majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, with a minor in Global Health, Culture, and Society. This will be my last semester as an undergraduate student, and I am so excited to be spending it abroad! After this summer, I will be working in the public health field and then pursuing an MPH in healthcare administration. In addition to the research skills and the French neuroscience that we’ll be learning about, I can’t wait to explore more of Paris’ culture, beauty, and food. J’adore les crêpes!
Irena Kuan: Bonjour everyone! My name is Irena, and I’m a rising senior majoring in NBB and minoring in music. At Emory, I’m involved with being president of the Asian Student Organization, dancing in AHANA, playing flute in the Emory Wind Ensemble, and doing research in a pharmacology lab at Rollins. I’ve danced since I was in 1st grade, played piano since I was in kindergarten, and played flute since I was in 5th grade, so I am very excited about this summer’s program and the overlaps neuroscience will make with art! I am also an avid bread-eater so we will see if I become as fluffy as the croissants here.
Nicholas Maamari: Bonjour! I am Nicholas Maamari and I am a rising senior at Emory University. I am a premed student majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and minoring in Film. I love playing football, filmmaking, and exploring new places. I am excited to be in Paris for the summer for a new adventure learning a new language and culture.
Jamie Maaskant: Hi! I’m Jamie and I’m a rising junior majoring in neuroscience and behavioral biology and minoring in predictive health. This is my first time going outside of the United States and so far, I’ve loved experiencing a new culture. I’m super excited to explore and to learn more about Paris and to study abroad again in the future.
Jake Medoff: Bonjour! My name is Jake and I’m a senior at Emory University from Boston, MA. I major in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and minor in English Literature. This is my first time in Paris, and although I don’t speak a word of French I look forward to exploring all this great city has to offer. I am still undecided in terms of my professional goals, but I’m ready to get all that I can out of this exciting opportunity.
Riley Payne: Bonjour! My name is Riley Payne. I am a rising senior at Emory University, studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. I am hoping to go into medicine, and am currently applying to medical school. I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri. I love to watch movies, play golf, and play video or board games. I am really excited to spend time in France, and learn more about the culture and the current research within the French science community.
Daniel Son: Hello, Everyone! My name is Daniel Son and I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and minoring in Film and Media studies. I’m from Portland, Oregon and in my free time I enjoy watching movies and fencing. As I live nearly all the way around the world from Paris, I’m looking forward to exploring both the city of Paris along with the wonders of French neuroscience.
Mayra Razo: Bonjour! My name is Mayra Razo, and I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Spanish on the pre-med track. In my free time, I love watching Netflix and hanging out with friends. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to explore Paris whilst studying neuroscience, and I hope to create lots of memories with new friends!
Sarah Taha: Bonjour! My name is Sarah and I am a rising senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University. I am originally from Lebanon and I enjoy running, photography, and volunteering. I am excited to be studying abroad in Paris because I get to learn more about French culture and neuroscience. I also get to explore the connection between art and the brain, which I have been curious about since my freshman year at college. I am looking forward to this trip and to new experiences
Monica Vemulapalli: Bonjour! I’m Monica, a rising senior from Orlando, FL, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, with a minor in French. I’m also in a research lab studying PTSD in veterans. My other interests and activities at Emory include dancing on the SaRaas dance team and working with the American Red Cross. I’m excited to be studying neuroscience here in Paris, especially since I get to practice my French and be immersed in the French culture!
Shelby Walia: Bonjour tout le monde! My name is Shelby Walia, and I am a rising senior, pursuing a double major in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, and French at Emory University. My interests lie in healthcare administration, health policy, neuroethics (plus ethics in general), neuroeconomics and neuromarketing. I am from New Jersey and have also lived in India. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to study abroad as part of Emory’s NBB Paris Program. I can speak French fluently, so I am excited to be able to use the language and am looking forward to immersing myself in the culture as much as possible, while learning about neuroscience-based research in Paris.
Jennifer Wang: Bonjour! My name is Jen and I am a rising senior at Emory University studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Architectural Studies on the pre-med track. After graduation I plan to take a gap year and apply to medical school. This is my first time in Paris and I’m excited to explore and become more familiar with this beautiful city. I’m especially interested in experiencing the art and architecture of Paris. While I don’t know French, I’m determined to be more of a local than a tourist by the end of this program!
Genevieve Wilson: A summer of simultaneously exploring alluring French culture and the most complex structure in the universe? C’est encroyable! Hi, I’m Genevieve, and I am a rising junior at Emory studying NBB and nutrition. A member of the Weinshenker lab in the Department of Human Genetics, I investigate Alzheimer’s Disease in a mouse model. Intrigued by the impact of nutrition on brain function, I am deeply invested in Emory Food Chain and the Undergraduate Neuroscience Association. My future plans include pursuing an MD-PhD and potentially a career in neurology. With a penchant for immersing myself amongst other cultures, I spend my spare moments seeking out foreign language, music, and cuisine. Striving daily to grow and add value to the world around me, I aim for my experiences in this captivating city to deepen my understanding of neuroscience as well as French contributions to the field.
Anika Wu: Bonjour! My name is Anika and I am a rising senior majoring in neuroscience and behavioral biology. This is my second time coming to Paris and I am grateful to be able to further immerse myself in French culture and arts. After my undergraduate studies, I plan to take a gap year before pursuing a PhD in neuroscience. Since our studies here will focus on Parisian neuroscience research, I hope to find and pursue a specific topic on which to continue my studies. I can’t wait to explore the city and, of course, eat tons of gelato and crepes!!