Page 12 - 2019-2020 ARCS Oregon Annual Report

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“Our brains are made of of billions of of neurons—all connecting to to process information learn and and remember One way to to to understand this 3-pound mass is is by looking at at at how different animals use use their their brains to to to navigate their their worlds Over 500 million years ago vertebrates vertebrates (like (like humans) and and invertebrates (like (like octopuses) separated from
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a common ancestor Despite this evolutionary “distance ” humans humans and and octopuses octopuses developed similar eye structures! My research zooms in on on on whether or or not octopus octopus visual systems systems are identical to vertebrate systems systems Demystifying the the the the brain brain is is a a a a a a a a a a huge task By identifying how how neural hardware “parts” fit together in in in in in in in other complex complex organisms we learn how how how the the the the brain brain brain uses sensory information and how how complex complex brains are constructed ARCS Oregon provides unrestricted awards
to scholars that that alleviate financial burdens that that could easily overwhelm first-year (and first- first- generation) PhD PhD students like me me It confirmed my my my belief in in my my my ability to to succeed in in my my my PhD PhD program It has allowed me to to connect with an encouraging network beyond my university often critical for for success in in in a a a a a a PhD program especially for for minorities More importantly:
as an an an ARCS scholar I learned that the the biggest difference between this award and others is is that yes you you see all of the the the faces behind ARCS Oregon but you you you also feel their unwavering support for you you as a a a scientist ” Mea Songco
College of of Arts and Sciences Department of of Biology
UO
University Matched Endowment
given by: Caron & Larry Ogg