What years did you participate in UROP? 

Traditional UROP: Fall 2006 - Spring 2007

Summer Biomedical Research Fellowship: Summer 2007

What made you choose UROP?

I had a strong interest in biomedical research from a young age, and thought it would be a good opportunity to learn what it was like to be involved in research first-hand.

What do you think you have learned from your UROP experience?

My UROP experience opened the door for me to a career in human neuroscience research, and was the first major step toward pursuing my dream of becoming a researcher.

What is the extent to which you have kept in contact with your Research Mentor?

My mentor (Dr. Scott Langenecer, now at the University of Utah) and I have kept in touch over the years, mostly by email. I had the great pleasure of chatting with him over lunch during a trip to Salt Lake City last November (2019). He is planning to visit Minnesota in Fall 2020, when I look forward to seeing him again.

How did your UROP experience shape or inform the next steps you took in your academic and professional journey?

UROP gave me the opportunity to work with a research mentor who went on to serve as the advisor for my honor's thesis. I believe that it was due primarily to this experience that I was accepted into a Neuroscience PhD program.

What advice would you give to a current UROP student?

Keep asking questions. Most people are very happy to help and guide you if you express an interest and ask the right questions. They can tell you what it takes to reach your goals, but it's not always obvious unless you ask.

What are some recent publications or accomplishments that you are proud of?

 In 2018 we published a paper that I'm quite proud of in the journal eLife. It looks at the neural processes that support visual motion perception in humans, using a variety of neuroimaging and computational methods.