PROJECT ENGAGES

Project ENGAGES

My name is Sydney Gaines, and I'm a Project ENGAGES intern at the Georgia Institute of Technology under the mentorship of Yichao Zhao and Dr. Ming-fai Fong. My research spans from June 2025 and will conclude in April 2026. During my time here, I've worked in a professional engineering-focused environment where I was exposed to real-world applications of technical and problem-solving skills. My responsibilities included conducting histological analysis, vibratome slicing, and microscopy imaging which allowed me to collaborate with others, learn how projects are developed, and better understand expectations in an engineering workplace. This experience helped me build confidence, strengthen my technical and communication skills, and further explore my interest in neuro-engineering as a future career path.

Context & Purpose

Project ENGAGES is a Georgia Tech–affiliated research program designed to expose high school students to real-world engineering and scientific research while developing technical, analytical, and professional skills. The program exists to bridge the gaps between classroom learning and advanced research by allowing students to engage in meaningful, mentor-guided projects that address real societal and scientific challenges.

The work completed through Project ENGAGES focuses on research, data analysis, and problem-solving across various engineering and science disciplines. During my internship, I worked primarily within a neuroscience-focused research context, where I explored how optogenetic stimulation technology can be applied to understand brain-related data and neurological conditions. This included analyzing microscopic images, learning how animal tissue is collected, and engaging with current research literature to better understand how neuroscience and engineering intersect.

The mission of my research team was to use engineering-based approaches to study neurological patterns and improve visual impairments, such as amblyopia. The team emphasized critical thinking, ethical research practices, and collaboration while encouraging curiosity and independent learning.

Project deep dive

Project Description

The project I'm trying to accomplish is to find a direct stimulation to excite neurons in the thalamacorticol region. Hopefully, by precisely activating these neuronal pathways, I can use this stimulation for therapy strategies that will treat visual impairments. This research is imperative due to the fact that critical period, a time sensitive window when the brain is more receptive to change, closes as the brain matures and visual plasticity weakens. If development is incorrect, the brain wires itself incorrectly which leads to long-term deficits. My role consists of slicing and mounting mice brains once they're removed from the body.

Methodology

My usual day consists of slicing, mounting, and staining microscopic slides and brain tissue. Ocassionally, I will image these slides and annotate using ImageJ. Slicing is a histological technique that involves using a Vibratome-an electrical, vibrating machine, that inputs a razor blade to slice tissue at precise width/lengths. This process is simple in which I glue the brain onto the platform, insert a blade into the Vibratome, and set the blade to 60 micrometers to begin slicing. I collect the slices in well plates that are filled in PBS (Phosphate-Buffered Saline). Before the mounting process, I create 2x DAPI using PBS and 1000x stock DAPI (blue flourescent stain) and add an equal amount of this solution to each well plate. During mounting, I using D1 (Deonized) water to secure the tissue onto a glass slide for viewing. After mounting, I will secure the slides using mounting medium and a coverslide. This is a synopsis of the histology I conduct on a day-to-day basis in the lab.

Challenges with this process may occur such as errors in calculations or strategy mistakes with mounting. The vibratome machine has a limit on the range of the brain it will slice. Since I slice from posterior to anterior, or sometimes vice versa, I'm not able to retreive all the slices from the other side of the brain due to the limit/stop feature. To solve this problem, my lab has implemented using gel-like spacers, to serve as temporary platforms that are glued on the vibratome plate to raise the brain before slicing. This way, the regions (dLGN, V1, & Basal Forebrain) we specifically want to target are all being sliced despite the limit.

My Work

Slicing

Here is a picture displaying the Vibratome machine I use to conduct my slicing. There is a razor blade screwed into the bottom of the vibrating driver. This driver moves foward and revs backwards at a fixed frequency/speed. The brain is glued on the gel-like spacer that is superglued to the vibratome stage. The vibratome plate is screwed onto the buffer tray. This buffer tray contains PBS, keeping the tissue hydrated.

Staining

Here is a picture displaying 9 glass microscopic slides. Each microscopic slide has 8-12 brain tissue slices. These brain slices are measured at 60 micrometers in thickness. The blue dye is Cresyl violet staining. This staining is used to highlight neuronal structures. On top of the slides, there is a thin glass coverslip to hold the microscopic slide flat and ensuring image quality.

Results

Working in a research lab is so worth it and fufilling! I've learned so much from collaborating from other people and taking respective criticsm from others. Additionally, working in the lab setting as a minor, it's imperative that you're trained well and attentitive to every step to reduce possible mistakes, miscalculations, or risks. I also learned that failing and practice is important. You won't also have the correct answer for everything and it's okay to be open-minded to new ideas and strategies.

Skills

Research/Analytical Thinking
- I learned how to look at data, ask real questions about it, and create observations about my microscopic images. I'm able to take my findings and produce conclusions that relate to my over goal. Additionally, I use scientific literature to research a plethora of techniques, experiements, and conclusions other scientists have produced related to my project.
Computational Skills
- I will continue to work with ImageJ and MatLab, computer softwares, to interact with and anotate my microscopic images.
Adaptability
- Reseach doesn't always go according to plan. I've learned how to troubleshoot machinery, such as the Vibratome, when errors occur. I've learned how to pivot to new ideas and think of new solutions to get better outcomes.
Professional Communication
- I'ved learned how to ask my mentor and P.I. intellectual questions, communicate via email, and engage in productive dialogue during lab meetings.
Self-direction
- I've successful learned how to produce results and conduct experiments without direct supervision in the lab and office.
Histology
- I learned how to conduct histology that can be used in biomedical engineering/chemistry labs to analyze animal tissue.

What was the most important thing I learned from my internship?

The most important thing I learned from my internship with Project ENGAGES is that research and engineering are not about having the “right” answer immediately, but about being willing to explore, question, and revise your thinking. Working in a neuroscience research setting showed me that progress often comes from trial and error, patience, and persistence. I learned how to sit with uncertainty and keep working even when results were confusing or unexpected. This experience helped me become more comfortable with complex problems and strengthened my confidence in my ability to learn new technical skills. It also taught me that growth happens most when you challenge yourself beyond what feels easy or familiar.

What engineering practices or mindsets did you see professionals using?

Mentors used approaches to challenges by breaking problems into smaller problems and testing those step-by-step, rather than trying to solve everything all at once. They also valued asking questions and collaborating with differing perspectives to encourage curiosity. They taught me that not knowing something is apart of the process, and failure is okay when learning something new. Another import mindset I noticed was adaptability. Being able to change quickly and think critically under pressure is important in the scientific/engineering industry. This reinforced the idea that engineering is flexible and continuously evolving.

What surprised you about the engineering workplace?

Working in the biomedical engineering realm, I was suprised with the importance of safety and precaution with everything. Every step required intention and careful strategy to ensure you reduce possible risks. Additionally, I was delighted to find everyone so collaborative and open-minded. Sometimes we naturally, as humans, get discouraged or frustrated when we have to reiterate and revise our approaches, but everyone in the engineering workplace took criticsm very well.

How did this intership influence your future goals?

This intership had a major influence on my decisions for my future career. I always knew I wanted to work in a field that provided me experience in something that I wanted to study, specifically healthcare. Initially, I was determined to discover a job that allowed me to shadow a doctor/clinician in a hospital setting. However, when I was rewarded the opportunity to conduct research at a top research institution with a PhD graduate student, I was estactic to work in a neuroengineering lab. The opportunity to gain research experience in a field I'm passionate about allowed me to realize I wanted to further my interest in neurology and healthcare.

What advice would you give a future student in this internship?

I will say to always be open and ready for new possibilities. This internship propells you to work in a new environment with other adults who are highly educated and skilled in your research. There's always a learning opportunity in everything you do, and it's important to be ready to change and adapt last minute. Remember that you're navigating something new, so be patient on yourself. Take initiative and don't be scared to use your voice. You have a seat at the table for a reason.

17 - Sydney & Destin - STEAM Career Day JA/EA Slides (Revised)

STEAM Day Career Slides

I gave my presentation in October as part of sharing the research I conducted through my internship with Project ENGAGES at Georgia Tech. I presented to an audience made up of elementary and junior academy students who were there to see how the work I did connects to my academic and career goals. The presentation highlighted the neuroscience-related research I worked on, the methods I used (like data analysis and computational tools), and how this experience deepened my understanding of both engineering and neuroscience. I also talked about how my experience in high school and at Drew impacted my experience at my internship.

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