YDPVirtualNeuro

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Student NameHigh School NameClass of 2024Collaborated with a group of the world’s premier researchers, professors, and professionals in the fields of neuroscience and neuroethics.Synthesized new neuroscience knowledge into a proposal for cutting-edge neuroscience research.Engaged in interactive, cross-cultural activities and discussions about cognitive neuroscience and neuroethics through a biophysical lens.Learn more about NAME here.
Read more about NAME'S achievements here.Praesent ornare sapien dignissim, ullamcorper ante sed, pharetra eros. Duis dictum dapibus vulputate. Aliquam ipsum ligula, elementum sit amet volutpat eget, consequat id eros. Quisque semper ex nec ex tempus volutpat. Duis vitae sagittis odio. Phasellus posuere velit arcu, vitae fringilla sem iaculis eu. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas.Fusce efficitur libero id dui efficitur tincidunt. Nulla mauris elit, aliquam a varius quis, finibus vehicula nulla. Nunc nisl nisi, pretium sed urna vitae, porttitor semper sapien. Curabitur at tortor quis quam consequat auctor.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer quam nunc, efficitur ac ante et, gravida consectetur leo. Aliquam et scelerisque elit, in varius sapien. Fusce ut lobortis quam, sit amet mattis libero. Praesent imperdiet, purus sed ultricies interdum, risus mi pretium dolor, a ultrices nibh elit et turpis.



My Research ProposalOur anticipated findings suggest that the frontoparietal network is activated during EMDR which corroborates the known aspects of the network surrounding attention orientation. Establishing differentiated networks during the EMDR would explain why similar effects on trauma are not found during other attention states, building on the credibility of the attention diversion hypothesis.In order to answer this question, I devised a methodology that would utilize a random sample of twenty adults that would have their brain activity measured using fNIRS and an EEG during memory recollection with and without eye movement.The patients would then be asked to recall a neutral and a painful memory to understand differing reactions while undergoing eye movement therapy. The data will then be analyzed using trends of mental workload ratings to analyze reactions to the differing therapies.My research hypothesized an answer to the question, “What attention orientational networks are activated during bilateral eye movements within EMDR?”


My Research Proposal PresentationView my research proposal presentation here.In order to address the lack of accessibility to Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), a psychotherapeutic treatment that works to resolve emotional trauma, I presented this proposal to this distinguished panel of judges. I proposed a research method that could test the individual hypothesis surrounding the success of EMDR.At the conclusion of the internship, I presented my research proposal to a panel of judges including [Judges]. Respectively, these judges are the [Judge Titles].In the Advanced Medical Neuroscience Internship, I worked directly with some of the world’s leading brain scientists to learn about neuroethics, neurocognitive health, and revolutionary developments in the field.
View my research presentation video here.


The Frontier of NeuroscienceDeep Brain StimulationI had the unique opportunity to speak with Dr. Michael Okun, founder of the University of Florida Movement Disorders Program.Within his work, Dr. Okun utilizes Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which operates like a pacemaker within the brain and is often inserted via conscious surgery.During surgery, electrodes are put in the brain to regulate electrical signals and help with conditions like Epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Essential Tremor.Pioneering NeuroaestheticsAs a pioneer of the field, Dr. Michael Heinrich, Professor and Dean of Students at Coburg University, was the perfect person to introduce us to the study of neuroaesthetics.This field aims to discover the universal laws underlying the finding of beauty and justify them through neurobiology. It is derived from foundational ideas of perceptual psychology, evolutionary biology, functional anatomy, cultural anthropology, and neurological methods.When applied to architecture, neuroaesthetics can facilitate the creation of built environments that promote the harmonious balance of all aspects of wellbeing.


Internship Highlights

Dr. James Giordano

The Creative Brain

Mind-Body Interventions

Experts & Mentors

I had the chance to work and collaborate directly with Dr. James Giordano, Chief of Georgetown University’s Neuroethics Studies Program.

In addition to his involvement with a variety of educational institutions, Dr. Giordano is the author of over 350 publications in neuroscience and neuroethics.

During our first meeting, Dr. Giordano guided us through an exploration of our own brains, minds, and selves, probing for the problems, meanings, and questions within the world that surrounds us.

In subsequent meetings, Dr. Giordano frequently prompted both introspection and extrospection to encourage familiarity with the our own minds, as well as our environment, and how the two can interact to our benefit.

I had the opportunity to discuss stimulating creativity with brain science with Dr. Adam Green, the Director of the Lab for Relational Cognition at Georgetown University.

Dr. Green maintains that creative insights are “the product of connections made between things other people didn’t put together,” and we explored the neurological foundations of this theory.

In this sense, creativity becomes an exchange between connecting and disconnecting from memory, as memory is imperative to accessing a starting point and a frame of reference.

This disconnection allows people to generate a new path from the same beginning. One must be able to recognize what they currently know in order to stray from it.

Mind-Body Interventions are utilized for the treatment, wellness, and enhancement of the mind and brain. These interventions can be categorized into “low-tech” and “high-tech” mind-body Interventions.

“Low-tech” mind-body Interventions allow you to modify the interactions between the brain and mind through accessible and non-invasive techniques.

In contrast, “high-tech” mind-body Interventions are less accessible and can involve invasive procedures.

This new knowledge allowed me to assess the intersection between brain, mind, and body and how they can work together to improve the wellbeing of an individual.

Along with Dr. Giordano, I had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. [First Name] Rossi, [title], who taught us about the research proposal we would need to design and develop.

Dr. Rossi introduced us to the social, historical, and pathological understandings of what constitutes “normal,” as well as how we see spectrums and selection in the range of global health contexts.

In addition to Dr. Rossi, my team met directly with Carmine Carullo, former Planning and Performance Manager at ExxonMobil and current Manager of Medicine and Occupational Health, and Bill Stefan, a senior executive in the U.S. Federal Government.

Mr. Carullo and Mr. Stefan spoke of resilient leadership and how to adapt and endure in a wide array of high-pressure environments.

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