The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging (CCBBI) recognizes the need for a more diverse body in academia, science, and research. To afford the opportunity of success to undergraduate students, CCBBI is proposing the ADNIR Initiative to provide funding for academic and professional development to individuals from underrepresented groups interested in pursuing a career in research.
For more information about ADNiR, please read the detailed initiative.
Applications for the program are due November 15.
Congratulations to our 2024 recipients
Declan Alford
My name is Declan Alford and I am a current third-year undergraduate student here at Ohio State majoring in psychology. Throughout my undergraduate career, I developed my interest in the intersection between behavioral psychology and neuroimaging research, which led me to apply to the ADNiR program. Through this program, I started working as a research assistant at Hoskinson Laboratory, where I have been able to further cultivate my research interests in this field by participating in neuroimaging data analysis and various study visits. After finishing my undergraduate career, I am planning on continuing to pursue research and either work towards a PhD in behavioral psychology or an MD in psychiatry.
Declan completed rotations with Dr. Jewel Crasta and Dr. Kristen Hoskinson. Declan has joined Dr. Hoskinson's lab.
Sophia Jeng
Hello, my name is Sophie Jeng. I am majoring in Psychology with a minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences. After graduation, I look forward to pursuing my PhD in Clinical Psychology, becoming a dual researcher and clinician. My research interests are ever expanding, however, my combined interests in pharmaceuticals, neuroimaging, and patient care have grown my affinity for the functional structures of the brain and its links in behavior.
Sophie completed rotations with Dr. Jewel Crasta, Dr. Kristen Hoskinson, and Dr. Jay Fournier. Sophie has joined Dr. Hoskinson's lab.
2023 Recipients
Ajuna Mwesigye
My research interests focus on cognitive development and the influence of environmental factors. Specifically, I would like to understand how various cancers and or carcinogens play a role in cognitive impairment. Generally, I want to attain an understanding of brain development through various stages of life. Previously, Ajuna completed summer lab rotations in Dr. Stacey Harnish's lab, Dr. Ruchika Prakash's lab, and Dr. Zeynep Saygin and David Osher joint project.
Ajuna rotated in the labs of Dr. Harnish, Dr. Prakash, Dr. Osher, and Dr. Saygin.
Lingwen Ren
I am currently an anticipated junior pursuing a dual major in Psychology and Pre-Neuroscience, with an expected graduation date in the year 2025. Under multiple influences (personal & academic) , I became extremely interested in individual differences and personalized medicine. This program has successfully furthered my interest in research and made me more determined in my area of interest. In the future, I plan to apply for a clinical/neuroscience PHD program after finishing a post-baccalaureate position. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and I would encourage those who are interested in neuroscience and brain imaging to be open to this type of opportunities!
Lingwen rotated in the labs of Dr. King, Dr. Way, and Dr. Fournier.
2022 Recipients
Florencia Ontiveros
I am majoring in neuroscience and minoring in computer and information science, and I will be a 3rd-year in AU22. My previous research experience, involving infant music cognition, led to my interest in cognitive neuroscience and development—in particular, how our early experiences shape who we become, and how these experiences manifest in the brain. As I plan to apply to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, the ADNiR program will give me an opportunity to gain research experience in my main areas of interest, prepare for graduate school, expand my understanding of the field, and investigate the complexity of human behavior from a neuroimaging standpoint. I would encourage students interested in neuroscience or a similar discipline to be open to new opportunities.
This summer Florencia completed rotations in Dr. Stephen Petrill’s lab, Dr. Kristen Hoskinson’s lab, and Dr. Zeynep Saygin’s lab. She will spend the next two years working in Dr. Hoskinson's lab.
Mengxin (Ava) Ran
I will be a junior psychology student in AU2022. My personal and work experiences have made me curious about the field of clinical neuroscience. As a VR player, I am also interested in visual research, especially in visual stability and depth perception. I plan to apply to PhD programs in cognitive psychology in the future, so I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about scientific research in my area of interest before applying. I hope to encourage students interested in cognitive science to be brave enough to learn about and to explore the research areas that most appeal to them. The brain is very complex, so this is not an easy task. But in the process, I am sure you will be satisfied with the knowledge and experiences that you have gained.
This summer Ava completed rotations in Dr. Jasmeet Hayes’ lab, Dr. Julie Golomb’s lab, and Dr. Ruchika Prakash’s lab. She will spend the next two years working in Dr. Golomb's lab.
2021 Recipients
Alexa Shin
I’m interested in three different subjects that could be combined in various ways: cognitive impairment, degeneration of neural connections and factors that affect memory, attention, and critical thinking.
Last year, Alexa completed summer lab rotations in Dr. Ruchika Prakash's lab, Dr. Stephanie Gorka's lab, and Dr. Scott Hayes' lab. Following those experiences, Alexa has been working in Dr. Scott Hayes' lab.
Jessica Timog
My main research interest involves the development of the brain from birth to death. I want to understand how experiences and environments can affect the brain’s function and what preventative measures can be taken in order to live a healthy life. I also want to understand the consequences of brain injuries or diseases and the brain’s recovery process.
Last year, Jessica completed summer lab rotations in Dr. Zeynep Saygin's lab, Dr. David Osher's lab, and Dr. Brandon Turner's lab. Following those experiences, Jessica has been working in Dr. David Osher's lab.
2020 Recipients
Yasemin Gokcen
My name is Yasemin Gokcen and I am a third-year neuroscience major specializing in cognitive and computational neuroscience. I joined Dr. Zeynep Saygin’s lab around springtime of my freshman year, and I have been lucky to take part in fMRI scans of all different ages. I currently plan on going to graduate school, and though I am still discovering the specifics of what I want to study, I most enjoy learning about the language network and applications of neurolinguistics.
Arian Sorani
I am a Kurdish international student at The Ohio State University studying psychology. I am interested in using neuroimaging methods to learn more about associations between neural connectivity and psychopathology to improve the diagnosis and treatment of externalizing disorders in children and adolescents. I feel very fortunate to have been selected as an ADNiR scholar and plan to conduct research examining differences in resting-state connectivity in children diagnosed with ADHD at risk for substance abuse in Dr. Theodore Beauchaine’s laboratory.