I developed an initial interest in biomedical research from personal life experiences . When I was in elementary school, I had a pretty severe phobia of thunderstorms. To overcome this fear, I practiced a technique known as sys tematic desensitization, or graduated exposure therapy. As a young third grader, I exposed myself to increasingly anxiety-provoking thunderstorm-related stimuli while engaging in newly learned relaxation techniques. This exposure therapy coupled with relaxation techniques eventually reduced my fear of thunderstorms to a level I didn’t think was possible . For years after this experience, I wondered how my brain could rewire itself to eliminate my phobia. This is when my fascination with the brain began. I carried this fascination with me to college as a Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology major working in a neuroscience lab. I enjoy my research because it allows me to ask why something is happening , rather than just what it is . I strive to
