The Harris Neuroscience Internship

Harris Intern Sienna Burnette currently volunteers with Teen Line at the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center in Los Angeles, where she supports teens in crisis and mentors new trainees. Sienna shared, “I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to aid other teens in need, and the hotline has sparked my interest in working with children in the future.”

She was also selected as co-lead for the Neuroscience Academy, where she teaches elementary students about neuroscience and mental health topics. In addition, she is completing a research project focused on how pre-sleep activities affect sleep, dreams, and mood in high school students.

“I love working with my mentor, Dr. Rolle. She has greatly expanded my knowledge on conducting research and analyzing the captivating data I’ve collected.”

“Thank you so much for your support and this opportunity to connect with inspiring mentors in neuroscience.”

Madeline has been developing a community project through the Harris Neuroscience Internship in partnership with her nonprofit, STEMSpark, focused on increasing neuroscience engagement among underserved elementary students. She designed hands-on lessons using visual models and interactive activities to make concepts accessible.

In a recent lesson on sleep, students learned how it affects memory, attention, and mood, and created personalized schedules to build healthier habits.

Madeline shared, “Thank you so much for your guidance and support throughout the internship. This has been an incredible opportunity, and I am grateful for the mentorship and experiences it has provided.”

Ellen met with her mentor, Dr. Yusuke Hori at the Stanford Oncology Center. She is feeling further inspired by her topic of research- "Role of stereotactic radiosurgery for radioresistant brain metastases (Melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, Sarcoma, etc.)”

Harris Intern Alum, Soha, joined Dr. Harris and others on Stryker's Mobile Lab. 

The Neurotechnology lab is Stryker’s mobile operating room, with six integrated lab stations that allow students to experience Stryker’s line of products. During the visit students received hands-on product demonstrations and a look at the latest innovations in the Neurotechnology space.

"I greatly appreciated the opportunity to see up-close the surgical technologies of the future, and I look forward to using them myself someday soon! I especially enjoyed the final station: carefully grating down the surface of an egg and inscribing an ‘S’ on its shell showed me how incredibly precise and controlled these instruments can be.” - Soha 

"I loved working with my mentor, Dr. Lily Kim, delving further into topics of interest, and the freedom of the internship!"

"I learned so much and connected with incredible people. Seeing neuroscience research from top professionals was inspiring and an unforgettable experience, and it only increased my passion for the field." – Ekam Kaur

Harris Intern and JClub participant, Nainika, is the co-founder of The Neurokidz. The goal of The Neurokidz is to spark curiosity and deepen understanding of neuroscience among young children.

“As a co-founder of The Neurokidz, I have shaped its mission by developing curriculum modules, leading workshops, and creating engaging activities that simplify complex neuroscience concepts for kids. To promote inclusivity, I also focus on outreach initiatives to bring neuroscience education to diverse communities. Participating in the Harris Internship and JClub has increased my knowledge and enthusiasm for neuroscience. I include interesting advancements in neuroscience in my class material, making lessons more engaging and inspiring for young students.

Working with kids and making a meaningful difference in their lives is the most rewarding part of my involvement with The Neurokidz. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing the students’ excitement as they proudly show off their brain hats or neuron models to their parents at the end of class.”

“As an aspiring neuroscientist, the Neuroscience Forum was an incredible experience to showcase the research project Dr. Llorente and I are working on. I had so much fun learning about all of the new neuroscience discoveries shared at the Forum. My favorite part of the experience was being able to immerse myself in the world of neuroscience and finally meet Dr. Odette Harris in-person, who is an amazing inspiration to me. Seeing the passion of other researchers and neurosurgeons was an unforgettable experience that strengthened my interest in neuroscience.” – Sofia Gerstein

2023-2024 Harris Intern, Araika Ramchandran, presented her project Glioblastoma: A Snapshot into Symptoms and Potential Future Treatments at the 11^th Annual Neuroscience Forum.

Harris Interns last year at the forum

Harris Intern, Avani Ganesan, invited her mentor, Dr. Rukayat Taiwo, to speak to her school club, CogniSquad. Her club discusses newest innovations in neuroscience and their implications in society.

“All of our members LOVED her talk- I am so lucky to have her as my mentor!” – Avani

Avani also helps run Girls Learn International, a club dedicated to improving female access to education.