News
Charlotte Monck Bright at the Sumer Spark Series
Congratulations to Charlotte Monck, who took the stage at the Summer Spark Series on July 22, 2025, and wowed the audience with a brilliant 2-minute presentation of her research — and SHE WON!!
Hitting the Mark: SURF-N Axe Throwing Challenge
On July 6th, the Surf-N students set up an axe throwing session at 540 Social Arcade. Although some found it challenging at first, it was a great opportunity to try something new in Blacksburg and connect with peers outside of the work environment. Not only did we learn a new activity, but we also learned more about each other and our endeavors as aspiring neuroscientists.
We are excited to introduce the 2024 cohort of fellows selected for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Neuroscience (SURF-N) program!
This year, we are proud to welcome 11 fellows into the program. Each fellow has been paired with a faculty mentor, ensuring they receive the necessary guidance and support to thrive in their research endeavors.
Throughout the 10-week immersive experience, the 2024 SURF-N fellows will engage in cutting-edge research projects, explore their scientific interests, and develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and presentation abilities skills. Moreover, they will have opportunities to discuss science and career developments in neuroscience and beyond. At the end of the fellowship, these students will present their 10-week research outcomes at the 2024 SoN Summer Retreat, where their families will be invited to celebrate their achievements.
Please join us in congratulating the 2024 SURF-N fellows, and we look forward to witnessing their growth and success throughout their research journey.
2024 SURF-N Students are Thriving in SoN Labs with Cutting-Edge Research
Grace Hawkinson is running an experiment in the flight arena on a mosquito where she is tracking the escape response to a looming stimuli.
Gaurav Jones is performing an immunostaining wash on tadpole brains to highlight cells of interest.
Rutha Patel is using a micropipette to accurately measure and transfer small volumes of liquid.
Hannah Patton is is imaging song sparrow brain tissue that is stained for neuropeptide Y.
Gwen Robbins is checking on the mass spectrometer data for a separate project on CIPN.
Janae Robinson is adjusting the placement of a flight obstacle in the bat flight room.
Anna Rubley is doing a cloning procedure in order to make copies of a certain molecule.
Rupabali Samanta is sectioning ovarian tissue on a Cryostat in preparation for an immunohistochemistry experiment.
Martha-Patience Taah is doing a physical artifact synchronization with the EMG and EmotiBit
Claire Wildermann is administering low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) - a noninvasive neuromodulation technique - to a subject.
Lia Wilson is searching for vials that contain virgin flies.
2024 SURF-N Fellows Shine at the 2024 VT Summer Research Conference
Eleven SURF-N fellows take the stage at the 2024 VT Summer Research Conference, presenting their research they've accomplished during their transformative 10-week fellowship.
Grace Hawkinson: Investigating Mosquito Flight Behavior Using Virtual Reality Tools
Gaurav Jones: The Flavor Enhancer Maltol Potentiates RXR/Thyroid Hormone-Mediated Mechanisms of Neural Development in Xenopus laevis Larvae
Rutha Patel: Exploring the Complex Relationship between Aggression and Testosterone (T) in Urban and Rural Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia)
Hannah Patton: Urbanization and Behavior: Does Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Mediate Behavioral Shifts among Urban and Rural Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Populations?
Gwen Robbins: Using Feeding Experimentation Device (FED3) to Evaluate Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease in Mice
Janae Robinson: Visual Spectral Sensitivity of the Jamaican Fruit-Eating Bat(Artibeus jamaicensis)
Anna Rubley: Monoubiquitination of Histone H2B Decreases in the Amygdala of Male and Female Rats during Fear Memory Formation
Rupabali Samanta: Investigate the Effect of Peripheral CSF Overexpression and Stress on Macrophage Function in Ovarian Tissue
Martha-Patience Taah: Aligning EEG and EmotBit Data: Development of Effective Synchronization Methods
Claire Wildermann: Designing the Cold Pressor Test for Human Neuroimaging
