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This week's student spotlight features Richard Gao, an international student from Huaibei, Anhui, China. Richard is a graduating senior with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Art History, on track to Graduate with Distinction. Arriving in the US, amidst a global pandemic, Richard found navigating the complex cultural landscape between China and the US surreal. However, studying performance artists like Mike Parr, Marina Abramovic, and Zhang Huan in his Art History research, who use pain and vulnerability as a universal… read more about Student Spotlight: Richard Gao »

DURHAM, NC – Living in a poorer neighborhood is linked to accelerated brain aging and increased dementia risk early in life, regardless of income level or education, a Duke University-led study finds. The study, which appears March 14 in the Alzheimer’s Association’s journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, suggests that targeting disadvantaged neighborhoods for dementia prevention programs and encouraging clinicians to consider a patient’s address could help lower dementia risk. “If you want to prevent dementia, and you’re… read more about Poor Neighborhoods Linked to Elevated Dementia Risk and Faster Brain Aging »

Celebrating March Madness with a special double feature in our student spotlight this month. These two individuals not only share affinity for delving into the intricacies of the brain and Evolutionary Anthropology, but also harbor a passionate commitment to enhancing Duke’s campus life by enriching the experiences of others within the community. They’re both excel at playing a musical instrument. However, beyond these shared interests, these two individuals couldn't be more different in various facets of their lives.… read more about Student Spotlight Double Feature: Orion Kornfeld and April Zuo »

Meltem Yucel is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience working with Professor Tamar Kushnir in the Early Childhood Cognition Laboratory and James F. Bonk Distinguished Professor Mike Tomasello in the Tomasello Lab.   Yucel’s primary research interests include the development of social cognition and morality, with a focus on how and when children become moral beings. She’s also deeply invested in diversifying psychology and making it more accessible.   With that… read more about Postdoc Meltem Yucel Studies How Gossip Influences Relationships  »

This month’s student spotlight featured Connor Wood, a junior majoring in neuroscience with a pre-med track from Lexington, Tennessee. Connor is a versatile athlete, excelling in football while also participating in various sports from soccer to track and field during high school. His outstanding record—a four-time all-region, three-time all-West Tennessee, and two-time all-state champion—caught the attention of Duke football recruiters. Among numerous offers from different schools, ranging from the SEC to Ivy Leagues, Duke… read more about Student Spotlight: Connor Wood »

Terrie Moffitt, Nannerl O. Keohane University Distinguished Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience has received the title Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, commonly known as the MBE. The honor, also bestowed upon many celebrities over the years, was presented to Moffitt by King Charles III at a ceremony in Windsor Castle in recognition of her outstanding scientific achievement and service to the United Kingdom. Established in 1917 by King George V, the MBE is the third highest… read more about Terrie Moffitt Receives Royal Honor From the British Monarchy »

Rejection letters will never provide happiness, but sometimes, if written with kindness, they can be helpful. At least one applicant to Duke’s graduate program in cognitive neuroscience felt that way after receiving a rejection letter written by GR Samanez-Larkin, director of graduate studies for the program. The student posted the letter on Reddit, saying it was “a great rejection email.” “Please know that this decision is not diagnostic,” Samanez-Larkin wrote, in a letter approved by the Graduate School that was… read more about A Kind Rejection Letter Gets High Grades »

We’re commencing a new academic semester with a newly declared neuroscience major: Grace Richardson. Grace is currently a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Spanish.   Grace’s interest in neuroscience stems from personal connections to loved ones who have struggled with addiction, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson’s diseases. Her appreciation for neuroscience only deepened with the diverse neuroscience courses offered at Duke, notably through the Cognitive Neuroscience and the Law FOCUS cluster and her… read more about Student Spotlight: Grace Richardson »

Athena Yao has been interested in neuroscience from the moment she picked up a book in her high school library addressing the science of stress and motivation. “I was trying to figure out the source of my own stress and how I could develop a better sense of control over my life,” she shares. “It was fascinating to learn about the biological basis of emotion and behavior.” After witnessing the impacts Alzheimer’s had on her grandfather and family, the Neuroscience major, who is also minoring in Computer Science and… read more about Science + Technology + Design = Innovations at Duke »

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is thrilled to announce that senior Cai Liu, pursuing a double major in Psychology and Sociology, has been honored as the recipient of the 2023-2024 Jerome S. Bruner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. Cai’s undergraduate thesis, titled “Cross-Cultural Differences between Love and Gratitude,” consists of a two-part study comparing the experiences of love and gratitude across three distinct regions—North America, Latin America, and East Asia. Recently, she completed… read more about Senior Cai Liu Receives 2023-2024 Jerome S. Bruner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research »

Duke University senior Sejal Mayer-Patel has been named a Schwarzman Scholar, a program that funds one year of graduate study in Beijing. From an initial pool of more than 4,200 applicants, the second highest in the program’s history, Mayer-Patel is among 150 scholars chosen from around the world. Schwarzman scholars develop leadership skills through a fully funded one-year master’s degree program in global affairs, designed to enable future leaders of the 21st century to engage with China. Scholars are selected based on… read more about Duke Senior Named a Schwarzman Scholar for Graduate Study in China »

Esha Naidu, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience works closely with Sarah Gaither, Nicholas J. and Theresa M. Leonardy associate professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Makeba Wilbourn, associate professor of the practice of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research explores how social contexts and individual differences, such as culture, identity, religious beliefs and personality, impact feelings of belonging. Naidu’s work also examines how… read more about Bringing Feelings of Acceptance and Belonging Within Reach with Postdoctoral Associate Esha Naidu »

“Decades ago, people would ask: ‘Why are you are even studying culture? That just doesn't matter. All humans are the same,’” said Cristina Salvador, assistant professor of Psychology and Neuroscience. That didn’t sit well with her. Growing up in Quito, Ecuador and moving to the United States in high school, Salvador found herself questioning the psychological literature she was exposed to, based on her personal observations and cultural experiences. “To me, it was always — this study is interesting, but I don’t think it… read more about New Research from Cristina Salvador Challenges the East-West Binary »

Some of the characteristics that causes Duke University to shine among its peers are its limitless opportunities for research, community, and interdisciplinary career development. Three neuroscience majors – Sid Ghanta, Disha Jotsinghani, and Dev Shah – have experienced all that the University has to offer during their matriculation– particularly within the neuroscience department. The trio was awarded the Lafitte travel grant last Spring which allowed them to extend such opportunities in another city as well. Ghanta,… read more about P&N Lafitte Grant Feature: Neuroscience Triple Threat »