Em Allan

Growing up, I have always been intrigued by the many questions surrounding science, psychology, and the processes involved in cognitive functioning. I have also had a keen and more prominent interest in art and initially entered college as an art major. However, I quickly switched to neuroscience after taking an introductory neuro course my freshman year and immediately being hooked. Now, as a junior, I have had more time to explore my interests in neuroscience and always look back on that decision with satisfaction. I have explored many topics within the field and, most recently, have been involved in a directed research project investigating attention and learning in college students as they interact with a neuroscience simulation video game. In the future, I hope to go to graduate school and earn a PhD, in order to pursue research in either women’s health or neurodegenerative diseases.

Julia Gaevsky

Hi! My name is Julia Gaevsky, I am a senior undergraduate student studying Neuroscience and Psychology. I entered college with a strong interest in psychology and a growing curiosity about how the brain supports thought and behavior, which quickly led me to fall in love with cognitive neuroscience. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have been involved in several cross-disciplinary research projects (from multicultural to philosophical) and am currently conducting directed research on perception and the anchoring effect. These experiences have shaped my interest in how the brain influences decision-making and the way we interpret the world around us.

I am honored to be a part of the Brain Bee project in 2026 and am excited to help make neuroscience engaging and accessible to students. Looking ahead, I hope to pursue a graduate degree and gain experience as a speech-language pathologist, applying my background in neuroscience and psychology to support communication and cognitive health.

Josie Gibbons 

I am a junior in college majoring in neuroscience and minoring in biology. I discovered the neuroscience major at an open house event where it was described as a combination of biology, chemistry, and psychology. I was debating a major in any of those three areas and neuroscience was the perfect answer. I realized I made a good decision when during my first semester of freshman year, I took a class called “The Care and Feeding of Your Brain” where I discovered my deep fascination with neuroscience! I have an interest in many different fields of neuroscience including neurogenetics, neurotoxicity, and neurobiology. In the future I plan on pursuing a career as a researcher in these fields with the goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience.

Presley Pickeral 

When I entered college, I was unsure about what I wanted to study and even changed my major multiple times during my first year. During this time, I took a philosophy class that explored the problem of consciousness, leading me to become interested in perception and how subjective experience emerges from brain activity. After learning more about the field of neuroscience, I changed my major for the final time and began conducting neuroscience research. I am now a senior double-majoring in neuroscience and psychology. Over the past few years, I have worked in several different labs and have developed an interest in brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders. I am currently completing my senior thesis, which focuses on how disrupted neurotransmission affects cerebellar cellular development and how this affects behavior in mice. Next year, I will be going to graduate school to pursue my Ph.D. in neuroscience.