My First Foray into Society (for Neuroscience)!

Thanks to the UBRP Travel Award, I was able to attend the 2024 Society for Neuroscience (SfN) conference in Chicago, Illinois. This was my first scientific conference, and quite the debut it was. SfN is the world’s largest annual conference dedicated to understanding the brain and nervous system, and this year attendance exceeded 22,000. I had the privilege of showcasing my research regarding adolescent development in rhesus macaque monkeys alongside fellow lab and UBRP member, Gabriel Neal. The goal of our project, titled Maturation of prosocial behavior and the prefrontal cortex depends on endocrine development, was to determine whether changes in the brain, body, and behavior correlate with one another throughout male macaque adolescence. We found that hormonal markers of pubertal development correlate with the emergence of prosocial behavior and cortical thinning of the prefrontal cortex, suggesting that these processes emerge as a unified system during adolescence. Our future directions involve identifying directionality in these relationships and investigation of sex differences. While presenting my research, I had the opportunity to connect with neuroscientists at all career levels, receive valuable feedback, and exercise my presentation and communication skills. Most importantly, I got to share science that excites me with the public.

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At SfN I also had the opportunity to attend lectures, poster presentations, and the graduate school fair. I especially enjoyed my conversations with graduate students, who were very engaging and offered wise advice on research and career goals. Navigating how to pursue a career in academia after undergraduate schooling is daunting, and hearing stories from those who were recently in my shoes was very reassuring and helpful. I also found the Animals in Research Panel event to be incredibly empowering. The session fostered dialogue among researchers, veterinarians, industry workers, policymakers, and a spinal muscular atrophy patient to discuss ways to better support the critical role of animal research in advancing scientific and medical knowledge. As a young neuroscientist who believes in the power of animal research in changing lives, this event was inspiring and special to be a part of.

In my free time I got to explore Chicago with my friends! We ventured into the downtown area in our professional attire and with posters slung over our shoulders to visit the bean and the city riverwalk. I also made sure to visit a few local coffee shops and restaurants! In fact, I may have consumed the best burger I’ve ever had while exploring the city. None of these experiences—from taking another step further into the world of neuroscience to taking on Chi-town with fellow lab members—would have been possible without the UBRP Travel Award. I am incredibly grateful and am already looking forward to SfN 2025!