Teaching my first course - Intro to Cognitive Neuroscience!
I got to teach my first college-level course for students!! I created my own class — in which I taught Cognitive Neuroscience! — and I taught a group that al...
2021
Reflections on Ph.D. applications (and life!) part II
On May 6th, I made the official announcement that I accepted Stanford’s PhD offer and won the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship. This was a surreal experience cons...
2020
Reflections on Ph.D. applications part I
I am very pleased to announce that… I APPLIED TO PH.D. PROGRAMS!
The iceberg of science
Have you ever heard of the iceberg metaphor? The distinction between what people see and what they do not? If you have not, check out the image below:
My first indepedent poster presentation!
A week ago, I received an email from Teacher College’s Academic Festival coordinator informing me that my thesis research is 1 of 9 finalists for their Innov...
Retweet! Emphasizing the importance of diversity in cognitive neuroscience research
For our first set of readings in my Neuroscience Applications to Education (a course taught by Dr. Kimberly Noble), we read Drs. Vonett Dotson’s and Audrey D...
Introducing FLi Sci!
Earlier this summer, I (prematurely)1 launched FLi Sci (short for First-Gen/Low-Income Scientists). The aim of this website is to consolidate resources for s...
New scarcity scenarios!
For my MS thesis, I want to explore how poverty may affect learning and memory by exploring alternative means of inducing stress in both teens and adults. In...
Why we need more “#ShutDownSTEM”
June 10th was a historic day for science: thousands around the world participated in the #ShutDownSTEM or #ShutDownAcademia protest. According to the offici...
Resources for supporting URMs in STEM
Recently I was able to work with several scientists on a resource guide to help recruit and retain underrepresented groups in science—please feel free to tak...
Columbia Bridge to the PhD Essays & Interview Questions
Last year, I had the chance to interview with Columbia’s Bridge to the PhD in STEM program. This is a 2-year predoctoral award to research at a lab at Columb...
Reflections on teaching middle school students
Note from author: This post was transferred from my Medium page on April 19th, 2020. All future blog posts will be posted on my GitHub page.
2019
Rethinking poverty, the brain, and education
Note from author: This post was transferred from my Medium page on April 19th, 2020. All future blog posts will be posted on my GitHub page.
Why I am afraid to write
Note from author: This post was transferred from my Medium page on April 19th, 2020. All future blog posts will be posted on my GitHub page.
2017
Reflections of a college senior
When I first came to Brown, I remember telling myself how my destiny would not be determined based on where I got educated; that my values of making an impac...
2016
Things all college students do
I’ve seen a lot of articles about “Things X Kind of People Do” or an iteration that defines people based on certain characteristics. Like this video that my ...
A message to people studying abroad in the Spring
You’ve received your acceptance letter. You’ve informed your friends and loved ones by appropriately posting your impending journey on Facebook. Plane ticket...
Why do you want to go abroad?
Imposter syndrome—a familiar sentiment that resonates with a slew of college students. Imposter syndrome is the feeling that your status as a college student...
Why studying abroad can be uncomfortable
To say the least, this has been a very tumultuous week. Terence Crutcher was murdered—not accidentally killed—murdered by yet another police officer back in ...
A wrap on core course week
Ah yes, Core Course week, perhaps one of the hallmarks that makes DIS a very unique study abroad program. On Monday, Human Health & Disease Section B wen...
Why you should fail
“We learn most from our failures.” “Failure is an opportunity for learning and growth.” “It’s not a matter of how many times we fall but how we get ourselves...
Yes Denmark, We are here
These past few months have been, to say the very least, difficult. I know that for most people, touring the world is supposed to be one that instills automat...
Finding hygge in my life
During the first day of my Danish Language and Culture class, I was astonished to learn that Denmark was unfamiliar with “trigger warnings” or “safe spaces.”...
Being a DIS student
Copenhagen and the DIS program have quickly kept true to their word by providing an elating experience in such a short amount of time. These past few days ha...
Going outside the lines
I remember when I was in elementary school I had this tendency to not follow instructions. My teachers viewed it as an act of rebellion and early signs of de...
Embracing the unknown; fearing the known
To be completely honest: I’m pretty nervous to go to Copenhagen. Though, I am sure that this sentiment is mutual for a large majority of the mass exodus of i...
A trip down memory lane
Something I realized about my upbringing before I left for college was the silence—the silence specifically about college. Discussion regarding my preparatio...
My first-gen experience at Brown
I think one of my greatest strengths is my confidence. I never doubt my abilities to succeed in any context or standards I set for myself, and rarely do I al...
2015
The four types of fun
I had the distinct privilege of embarking on a life-changing—and I truly mean it when I say “life-changing”—experience with the National Outdoor Leadership S...
Words will never hurt me
I remember a point in my life when being different was dangerous. A period when words such as “smart”, “amicable”, and “Hispanic” were replaced with derogato...
Don’t check the pricetag
Financial aid was the number one component when compiling my college list. I didn’t care much about academic programs (because the school itself would not ha...
2014
Who to properly thank during the Thanksgiving (and college) season
It’s very easy to take credit for all of your accolades. Got an A on the hardest exam in all of academic history? You earned it. Excelled on your test scores...
Why I Hate Brown
This blog was previously posted on the I’m First! Scholarship Blog Series and recently migrated here to my personal site.