Hear from nms alumni from FAU!

Name: Kate Maier

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Campus: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, Florida

Degree: B.S., Liberal Arts and Sciences with a concentration in computational neuroscience and a FAU Max Planck Honors designation

Future career and/or personal goals: "In Fall of 2023, I will begin my doctoral studies in the Neuroscience PhD program at Yale University as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (NSF-GRFP) and a Wu Tsai Institute Graduate Fellow. My long-term plan is to establish an independent lab at a R1 research institution to investigate diverse brain functions through computational modeling and to mentor the next generation of scientists."

Why you chose FAU: "After completing my first 3 years at FAU through the FAU High School full-time dual enrollment program, I knew FAU offered the opportunities I needed to prepare for my next goal: graduate school. The summer of 2020, I found a wonderful computer science professor--Dr. Oge Marques--to remotely mentor me through an independent project during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That project resulted in a publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and new skills that prepared me for my next opportunity, a summer fellowship at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI). That 3-month Magar Data Science Research Fellowship turned into a two-year undergraduate research experience at MPFI. All these experiences and opportunities led to me being named a 2022 Goldwater Scholar, accepted into Yale's neuroscience PhD program, and awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship grant to support my graduate studies. I chose FAU because of the opportunities! I have been able to extensively pursue my undergraduate research interests and will now begin my graduate studies in the fall debt-free."

What makes FAU unique to you: "FAU has given me the opportunities that I needed to successfully forge my own path. Also, I'm a second generation owl. My mom and dad each received both their bachelor's degrees from FAU. Go Owls!"

Name: Michael Evrard-Vescio

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Campus: Boca Raton

Major: Biology

Graduation Year: 2022

Future career and/or personal goals: "I wanted to attend law school, and the National Merit Scholars Program at FAU allowed me the chance to both explore, pursue, and achieve that goal of being accepted to the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Law School!"

Why I chose FAU: "I graduated from FAU and FAU High in 2021. I chose FAU high school because of the opportunity to take college classes and dive into the curriculum that interested me. FAU is unique because students can pursue their interests and face academic challenges within areas they want to work in the future." 

What makes FAU unique: "During my time at Penn, I developed an interest in corporate law. I currently serve on the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law board as the Symposium Editor. My recent research focuses on the intersection of blockchain and the law and how new regulations can utilize new technology in their enforcement. None of this would have been possible without the guidance, support, and education I received during my time at FAU."

Name: Ryan Gomes

Hometown : Fort Lauderdale, FL

Campus: Main Campus in Boca Raton, FL

Major: Biology

Graduation Year: 2022

Future career and/or personal goals: "In Fall 2023, I will be attending Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine as a DVM candidate for the class of 2027."

Why I chose FAU: "I chose FAU because I was able to spend a lot of time on the campus in high school and became very familiar with the school and all it has to offer. I enjoyed the campus and the opportunities to connect with so many amazing people that I might otherwise not have had the chance to, as the university is incredibly diverse."

What makes FAU unique: "I think one of the most unique things about FAU is the math learning center which emphasizes peer-to-peer teaching. I was able to experience being both a student and a learning assistant in the MLC, and these experiences not only increased my understanding of the math concepts at hand, but also strengthened my communication and problem solving skills."

Name: Tejas Purimetla

Hometown : Originally from Troy, Michigan but my family and I have been living in Boca Raton for the past two years.

Campus: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, Florida

Major: Biology/Pre-Med

Class year: Graduating in May 2023.

Future career and/or personal goals: "This fall, I will be attending The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in pursuit of my MD degree."

Why you chose FAU: "I knew I wanted to be a doctor ever since high school, and FAU was one of the few universities offering a direct BS/MD pipeline program---and one of only three in Florida. In addition, after touring FAU and specifically the Wilkes Honors College, I really felt at home. I appreciate things such as the small class sizes and the ability to make close connections with professors, and those are things I feel would be harder to do at larger universities."

What makes FAU unique: "In addition to the small class sizes and close relationships with the faculty mentioned above, the research opportunities at FAU are incredible. I have been working at Max Planck for 3 years now, and it has been an extremely enriching experience. I was able to direct my own research project which has already been submitted for publication, and it is an extremely unique opportunity to have such research facilities readily available to undergraduate students."

 

Name: Pranav Somesula

Hometown: Centreville, VA

Campus: Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, Florida

Major: Cellular Neuroscience with a minor in Data Science

Graduation Year:  2023.

Future career and/or personal goals: " T his year, I will be taking a gap year as I apply to start medical school in Fall 2024."

Why you chose FAU: "FAU was the only place that had all the different aspects I was looking for in a college. I originally had toured the south Florida region for another college, and despite being a far way from home, I loved the area. As I was interested in being a doctor in high school, I applied to FAU’s combined BS/MD program, which stood out to me for its flexibility in allowing its students to choose between seven or eight years and to apply to other medical schools, Finally, the robust National Merit scholar program provided great financial aid allowing me to make attending an out of state college feasible."

What makes FAU unique: "The small class sizes allowed me to receive extensive and personalized support from my professors, advisors, and peers as well as pursue a plethora of opportunities. The research opportunities were particularly unique for the undergraduate level and allowed me to pursue novel research under excellent mentors. Overall, FAU was a collaborative institution where everyone was invested in each others success."