Andrew Hamilton is a senior with a major in Neuroscience and minors in Spanish and Chemistry. One thing he enjoys about editing is that he gets to read so many interesting articles about science-related discoveries every day! Outside of the club, he pursues research regarding spatiotemporal omics and machine learning applications.
Macy Hoeveler is a junior in the Brain & Cognitive Science program at UIUC. She is pursuing a double minor in Integrative Biology and Music. Aside from being the Editor-in-Chief of Brain Matters, she is a writing consultant with the Writer’s Workshop. In addition, she is a Beckman Fellow with the Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Lab and a lab assistant at the Dolezal Bee Research Lab. In her free time, Macy is a violinist in the Philharmonia Orchestra and enjoys reading, listening to music, and collecting bugs. She hopes to continue pursuing biology in graduate school, studying behavioral genetics and neurobiology.
Krisha Agarwal is a senior in MCB Honors with a minor in Informatics. She is the Editor-in-chief of Brain Matters and a member of American Medical Women’s Association. She is also an undergraduate researcher at the KV Prasanth Lab in Cell and Developmental Biology. In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school and work in the biotechnology industry. In her free time, Krisha enjoys crocheting, reading, sketching, and spending time with friends.
Praise Kim is the Vice President of Brain Matters and an undergraduate researcher pursuing a BSLAS in Brain and Cognitive Science. Currently, as a research assistant in the Gratton Lab, she studies the Fronto-Parietal Network in cognitive control tasks across different mental states. In the past, she has also presented work on the infant parasympathetic response and maternal depression with the Interdisciplinary Lab for Social Development. She is broadly interested in cognition in the brain and throughout development, also presenting work on social cognitive development at Stanford University. Outside of research, she lifts weights, reads fantasy novels, and spends time with her church. Her future goals are to continue researching the brain—whether as a post-bacc, doctoral student, post-doc, or professor.
Jess Chen is a junior studying clinical-community psychology. With Brain Matters, she has been excited to integrate her interests in neuroscience, linguistics, and psychology. She has appreciated groundbreaking applications of neuroscience in skill acquisition, discrimination, addiction, and more. Currently a research assistant with the Health Equity and Action Lab and the Social Cognition Lab, Jessica examines parenting and child health outcomes across cultural contexts, and neural network dissection of trends in biases. Aside from academics, Jessica is most likely baking a sweet treat or lounging at a matcha cafe.
Anika Chandola is a sophomore majoring in MCB with a minor in Psychology and Chemistry on the Pre-Med track. She is currently working in Bagchi Lab researching the environmental impact on reproductive health and volunteered at UChicago’s Phlebotomy Clinic. She is also a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Soroity working alongside Girls on the Run. In her freetime she enjoys fashion, swimming, pageants and playing the piano. She hopes to become more involved in the neuroscience field and learn more about this diverse community.
Vraj Patel is a junior majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Psychology. Vraj joined Brain Matters to learn about more niche topics in neuroscience and research in the field. In addition to being treasurer for Brain Matters, Vraj is an undergraduate researcher in the Sweeney Lab, which studies neuroscience in the context of feeding and related behaviors. He is also a volunteer for Avicenna Community Health Center, a course assistant for STAT 200, and a peer mentor for first-year students in the neuroscience major. Vraj hopes to explore more in the field of neuroscience from a medical perspective in the future!
Leah Rupp is a sophomore at the University of Illinois studying Biology. Leah joined Brain Matters to get the opportunity to learn and write about new neuroscience research. In her free time, Leah enjoys running and playing piano. Her career aspiration is to one day become a physician./p>
Isabelle is a junior at the University of Illinois majoring in Neuroscience. Isabelle became involved in Brain Matters to learn more about writing scientific articles and innovations in neuroscience. In addition to writing for Brain Matters, Isabelle is involved in McKinley Health Stress Management Peers, LAS Leaders, and Women’s Glee Club. In the future, Isabelle hopes to attend medical school and continue reading and writing about new scientific innovations!
Kaitlyn Tuvilleja is a senior in Bioengineering with a Statistics minor. She is an undergraduate research assistant for Bhargava Lab and I^2 Lab. Besides Brain Matters, Kaitlyn is involved with SWE, WIE, and BMES. In her spare time, she enjoys baking and running with her friends.
Erin Ford is a senior majoring in Chemical Engineering with aconcentration in Biomolecular Engineering. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and painting. She hopes to help others increase their knowledge about neuroscience through her writing in Brain Matters.
Pravika Srivastava is a junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign majoring in neuroscience with a minor in psychology on the pre-medical track. She is passionate about brain health, mental well-being, and hopes to pursue a career in psychiatry. As a writer and new Social Media Co-Chair for Brain Matters, she enjoys writing about neuroscience-related topics while eager in helping expand the journal’s outreach. On campus, Pravika volunteers in the Pediatric ICU at Carle Foundation Hospital, conducts research at the CONNECTlab and Rudolph Lab, and serves on the Speaker Committee for Alpha Epsilon Delta. Pravika is excited to share her research and writing as part of her ongoing commitment to advancing understanding of the brain and mental health.
Esther Nam is a senior on the pre-medical track majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Health. She is interested in exploring the cognitive and neurological impacts of bilingualism, and is currently a research assistant in the Educational Psychology Psycholinguistics Lab with a focus on cognitive psych. She enjoys learning more about neuroscience and looks forward to integrating that with her passion for art as design lead. In her free time, she loves to draw, play games, and spend time with friends. After undergrad, Esther hopes to attend medical school to become a physician.
Gus Dorman is a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Computer Science. He joined Brain Matters as an editor to learn more about the field while also getting a feel for what research articles are like. If he’s not studying, he’s probably longboarding around campus, playing a video game, or watching shows.
Jessica is a junior studying clinical‑community psychology. With Brain Matters, she’s excited to connect neuroscience, linguistics, and psychology—especially in areas like skill acquisition, discrimination, and addiction. She researches with the Health Equity and Action Lab and the Social Cognition Lab, and outside academics you’ll find her baking or relaxing at a matcha café.
Kaitlyn is a senior in Bioengineering with a Statistics minor and an undergraduate researcher in Bhargava Lab and I² Lab. Beyond Brain Matters, she’s active in SWE, WIE, and BMES. She loves baking and running with friends.
Kathryn is a sophomore studying Biology with minors in Health Technology and Spanish. She joined Brain Matters to deepen her neuroscience and psychology knowledge while growing as a writer/editor. She’s involved in Global Medical Training and Education & Training 4 Health, and enjoys dance, choir, and guitar. She hopes to become a pediatrician.
Krisha is a senior in MCB Honors with a minor in Informatics. She researches in the KV Prasanth Lab (Cell & Developmental Biology). She plans to attend graduate school and work in biotech. Free time favorites: crocheting, reading, sketching, and time with friends.
Macy is a junior in Brain & Cognitive Science with minors in Integrative Biology and Music. She’s a Writing Consultant at the Writer’s Workshop, a Beckman Fellow in the Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, and a lab assistant at the Dolezal Bee Research Lab. She plays violin in Philharmonia and hopes to study behavioral genetics & neurobiology in grad school.
Megan is a senior in Brain & Cognitive Science with a minor in Health Administration & Business. She’s involved with FHCE, AED, and research with the Illinois Alternative Protein Project. She enjoys lifting, cooking new recipes, and true‑crime podcasts.
Natalia is a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience. She joined Brain Matters to explore modern topics of neuroscience and is active in the American Medical Women’s Association. She hopes to pursue medicine, especially neurology.
Nicholas is a ’24 MCB graduate who loves learning across disciplines—especially neuroscience. He joined Brain Matters to immerse himself in cutting‑edge research and help writers produce their best work. He enjoys fútbol, karaoke, nature, and time with family. His goal is a career devoted to positive impact.
Praise is a BCS major researching cognitive control in the Gratton Lab, with prior work in infant parasympathetic response and maternal depression. She’s broadly interested in cognition and development, and enjoys lifting, fantasy novels, and church community. She plans to continue researching the brain in graduate training.
Thiya is a junior in MCB with a Psychology minor, aiming for a Physician Assistant career. She researches in the Liang Lab for Behavioral Neuroscience and enjoys running, crochet, and piano. Brain Matters helps her broaden her neuroscience and psychology perspectives.
Yuliia is a sophomore in Bioengineering (pre‑med) and an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Best‑Popescu’s lab at Beckman Institute, building imaging tools for cellular neuroscience. She’s a Global Health exec (AMSA) and volunteers at Carle. She enjoys cross‑stitching, Ukrainian cooking, and sci‑fi.
Alexander Byrne, a native of the South Side of Chicago, has long fostered his fascination with science and narrative. Now a student pursuing a degree in Neuroscience, Alexander has focused his scholarly work on the overlap of maternal immune activation, neurodevelopmental disorders, and gut-brain microbiota interactions with the aim of determining how early immune signals influence the development of the brain and long-term behavioral outcomes. In addition to this study, he is deeply engaged in molecular neuroscience investigations into the structural processes of prion protein misfolding and aggregation. After finishing his undergraduate studies, Alexander plans to undertake a Ph.D. in neuroscience. His desire is to be involved in translational research that converts molecular biology into clinical knowledge.
Ananya is a junior in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Public Health. She’s an assistant editor‑in‑chief for Double Helix Digest, a Starcourse member, Carle volunteer, and tour guide/ambassador for Undergraduate Admissions. She enjoys reading, jewelry‑making, and movies.
Anika is a sophomore in MCB with minors in Psychology and Chemistry (Pre‑Med). She researches environmental impacts on reproductive health in the Bagchi Lab and has volunteered at UChicago’s Phlebotomy Clinic. She enjoys fashion, swimming, pageants, and piano.
Edward is a junior in Neural Engineering interested in biological mechanisms in computing and AI‑neural links. He enjoys volleyball, filming, and road trips, and aims to attend graduate school.
Leah is a sophomore in Biology who joined Brain Matters to explore new neuroscience research. She enjoys running and piano, and plans to become a physician.
Noreen is a sophomore in Neuroscience interested in how the brain shapes our interactions with the world. She hopes to study neurological disease as a physician in the future.
Rayyan is a junior in Chemistry researching physical activity and sedentary time in relation to brain health in the Physical Activity and Neurocognitive Health Lab. He’s also active in REACT outreach.
Siwon is a Biochemistry major (pre‑med) interested in the molecular basis of disease and pharmacology. He conducts cell culture research on directed differentiation and has studied corneal damage/repair at Feinberg School of Medicine. He aims to blend clinical practice and biomedical research.
Sylvia is a senior in Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) with minors in Public Health and Statistics. She assists in the Laboratory for the Emotion and Stress Assessment, is a STAT 212 course assistant, and sings with Girls Next Door. She enjoys hiking, thrifting, and sewing.
Tanisha is a sophomore in Neural Engineering with a CS minor, interested in computational neuroscience and neurodegenerative disease. She’s involved with NeuroTech’s Cortex Codex, UR2PhD, and RSOs like The Cooking Collective and Book Club. She loves skiing, cards, and music.
Yuliia is a sophomore in Bioengineering (pre‑med) researching cellular neuroscience imaging tools at Beckman. She’s an AMSA Global Health exec and Carle volunteer. She enjoys cross‑stitching, Ukrainian cooking, and sci‑fi—excited to share her neuroscience curiosity with UIUC!
Alexa is a sophomore on the pre‑nursing track planning to declare Psychology. She joined Brain Matters to grow her understanding of the brain and communicate it clearly. She’s involved in Greek life and RSOs and is pursuing her CNA license.
Brianna Mae is a senior in Clinical/Community Psychology. She also works in Dr. Kwapil’s Project on Life Experiences Lab and serves as Treasurer for PRACC. She plans a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology to study neural bases of clinical disorders.
Emily is a sophomore in Neuroscience with minors in Linguistics and Psychology (pre‑med). She joined to explore current research topics. She enjoys music, reading, and time with friends.
Kathryn is a sophomore studying Biology with minors in Health Technology and Spanish. She’s involved in Global Medical Training and Education & Training 4 Health, and enjoys dance, choir, and guitar. Future goal: pediatrics.
Lily is a sophomore in Neuroscience who joined Brain Matters to learn the scientific writing process and explore current research. She’s also in Healthcare Book Club and volunteers at Carle Hospital.
May is a sophomore in Brain & Cognitive Science who writes to deepen her understanding of the brain and research skills. She assists in Dr. Hotaling’s Cognitive Decision Making Lab and hopes to pursue a PhD.
Meha is a junior in Psychology considering a second major in MCB (pre‑med). She’s involved with Phi Chi, Delta Kappa Delta, Illini Sheltering Hands Society, and the Vision Lab. She enjoys painting, music, and time with friends.
Meredith is a senior in Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) with a minor in Integrative Biology. She writes for Brain Matters and serves as a Chemistry lab teaching assistant. She plans to pursue medicine.
Micah is a sophomore in Neuroscience who joined to gain research‑style writing experience. You’ll often find him at the ARC—working out or playing volleyball. He plans to attend medical school.
Navi is a junior in Neuroscience with minors in Health Administration and Chemistry (pre‑med), aspiring to specialize in Neurology. She’s Social Chair for Udaan and the Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, a member of Phi Chi, a mentor with the Illini Mentor Program, a Global Medical Brigades volunteer, and a research assistant in the Kukekova Lab.
Pravika is a junior in Neuroscience with a Psychology minor (pre‑med), passionate about brain health and mental well‑being. She volunteers in Carle’s Pediatric ICU, researches at CONNECTlab and Rudolph Lab, and serves on AED’s Speaker Committee. She writes to advance understanding of brain and mental health.
Ruchi is a senior in Neuroscience and Psychology. She writes to stay engaged with cutting‑edge neuro research and serves as VP of NeuroTech@UIUC. She plans for graduate study and deeper work in research and innovation.
Vani is pursuing a BS in MCB (honors) with a Public Health minor and a Neuroscience certificate. As a writer, she explores topics from neural bases of gratitude to music’s effects on cognition, blending rigorous research with accessible storytelling.
