NSCS News

Congratulations to the 2017 Undergraduate Galileo Scholars!

Areen Badwal, Shreya Bellampalli, Briggs Carhart, Lindsey Chew
Colin Lynch, Colin Potter, and Sneha Ray

Congratulations to Sneha Ray as the spring recipient of this year's NSCS Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award! Sneha Ray has spent much of her undergraduate years in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine lab run by Dr. Lalitha Madhavan, where she studies the mechanisms underlying the age-related decline of neural stem cell survival and function. After graduation, she hopes to attend a Neuroscience PhD program to continue her pursuit of a career in science.

Congratulations to Alison Comrie as the spring recipient of this year's NSCS Outstanding Senior Award! Alison Comrie, a Tucson native and Goldwater Scholar, conducts research on the brain mechanisms that underlie learning and memory. Alison has been heavily involved with the NSCS community throughout her time at the UA, most notably as an NSCS Ambassador for three years and as a member and current president of the Nu Rho Psi honorary. After graduation, Alison will continue her research as she pursues a PhD in Neuroscience.

Congratulations to Maj Krumberger as this fall's recipient of this year's NSCS Outstanding Senior Award! Maj earned his award for his excellent academic record, his research, and his leadership. Most recently, Maj has been working in the Hruby lab in Chemistry & Biochemistry, where he has combined his love of both chemistry and neuroscience in synthesising and testing novel peptides for use as neuro-protective agents in neuro-degenerative disorders. He also led a preceptor team of the Chemical Thinking basic course in chemistry in developing an innovative teaching technique and monthly review sessions that filled a clear need and has been enormously effective. The review sessions now attract about 2,000 students at each one, almost the entire population of students enrolled in that course. We wish him the best as he goes forward!

The Brain Bus!  A mobile neuroscience public outreach unit to bring neuroscience to students and the general public all over southern Arizona.  The bus is owned by the Center for Neuroscience Foundation, the non-profit arm of a large neuroscience-based medical practice in Tucson. NSCS students Ryan Mammana and Kathryn Chung have been working as interns with Dr. Oland in the process of locating, purchasing, designing, outfitting, and fundraising for the bus.  We're now working on developing the "curriculum" for the bus.  Stay tuned!  There will be lots of volunteer opportunities coming up!

Congratulations to Becca Van Sickler for receiving the Copernicus award. The Copernicus Award is one of the highest honors the College of Science can bestow on its non-tenure eligible faculty, appointed personnel or classified staff. Becca is the acknowledged heart of the undergraduate program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NSCS). Becca became part of the NSCS program at its inception and has been a constant and powerful guide and advocate for students and faculty as the program has grown from the first class of 29 students to the current enrollment of more than 500 students.

The Copernicus Award is one of the highest honors the College of Science can bestow on its non-tenure eligible faculty, appointed personnel or classified staff. The awardees' extraordinary accomplishments significantly advance the mission of their department and the knowledge base of their discipline.