I enthusiastically seek to further my interest in neuroscience through the Biological Basis of Behavior (BBB) program at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences, which has the diverse faculty, resources, and research to strongly support this interdisciplinary major. My passion for neuroscience stemmed first from an independent-study research project centered on bioethics, in which I studied brain imaging and the utilization of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology in the judicial system for the purposes of determining lie detection. While this emerging technology held tremendous future potential, it clearly was not standardized, too costly, and not yet ready for use in a legal setting. Subsequently building
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Neuroscience truly represents a fascinating area of study for me with a limitless upside in our understanding of the brain. I desire to understand the brain from a cellular and genetic level, to neurologic systems, to higher level human cognition and behavior, and ultimately real-world clinical applications in medicine and psychiatry such as understanding brain disorders and therapies. The faculty’s accessibility at Penn has impressed me, as Dr. Julie McGurk welcomed me to attend her BBB109 “Introduction to Brain and Behavior” class, which should prove to be an ideal introductory course to provide an overview and foster a more specific direction of research to pursue in Neuroscience. In her correspondence with me, she encouraged me to pursue research and directed me to Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships to seek opportunities, support, and resources. As I explore possible elective courses beyond the core requirements, Dr. David Dinges’ “Human Chronobiology and Sleep”, and Dr. Martha Farah’s “Neuroscience and Society” are particularly intriguing as they follow very closely to the neuroscience topics that initially brought about my interest in this field. Additionally, the student BBB society is a desirable group to build relations with likeminded students and faculty. And finally, having the ability to serve the community in this area of study while I am still a student has great appeal to me and outreaches such as the annual “Kids Judge Neuroscience Fair” is an event for which I would desire to
Neuroscience truly represents a fascinating area of study for me with a limitless upside in our understanding of the brain. I desire to understand the brain from a cellular and genetic level, to neurologic systems, to higher level human cognition and behavior, and ultimately real-world clinical applications in medicine and psychiatry such as understanding brain disorders and therapies. The faculty’s accessibility at Penn has impressed me, as Dr. Julie McGurk welcomed me to attend her BBB109 “Introduction to Brain and Behavior” class, which should prove to be an ideal introductory course to provide an overview and foster a more specific direction of research to pursue in Neuroscience. In her correspondence with me, she encouraged me to pursue research and directed me to Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships to seek opportunities, support, and resources. As I explore possible elective courses beyond the core requirements, Dr. David Dinges’ “Human Chronobiology and Sleep”, and Dr. Martha Farah’s “Neuroscience and Society” are particularly intriguing as they follow very closely to the neuroscience topics that initially brought about my interest in this field. Additionally, the student BBB society is a desirable group to build relations with likeminded students and faculty. And finally, having the ability to serve the community in this area of study while I am still a student has great appeal to me and outreaches such as the annual “Kids Judge Neuroscience Fair” is an event for which I would desire to