In this episode of Neural Network we sit down with Dr. Ione Fine, a distinguished professor at the University of Washington and a trailblazer in the field of neuroscience. Dr. Fine’s groundbreaking work focuses on neuroplasticity, exploring how the brain adapts to early sensory loss and the potential of prosthetic vision to restore sight. Formerly a research scientist at Second Sight, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

Join us as Dr. Fine shares her inspiring career journey—from navigating challenges in research to becoming a leader in the field. We delve into her current work, including the collaborative initiatives of VisCog and the Neuroimaging Collective, and discuss the ethical considerations in sight recovery technologies.

Dr. Fine also provides practical advice for students, researchers, and women in science, sharing key traits that define success in research and how to cultivate them.

This is an episode filled with wisdom, inspiration, and a celebration of resilience in science—don’t miss it!

In this episode, we get to know Dr. Kevan Kidder, PhD, about his research in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Not only was his academic journey uncovered, but interesting topics like fundamentals of consciousness, and the importance of having a mentor through research were detailed in the interview.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Stefan Mihalas, PhD, about his Neural Network research and his journey. Dr. Stefan Mihalas goes in-depth about his interdisciplinary background. As interesting as these topics are, he ultimately emphasizes the importance of things outside of research, such as collaboration. Make sure to listen to this insightful intervew!

Reach out to Dr. Stefan Mihalas:

[email protected]

Sid and Leanne interview the guest for this episode, Nick Steinmetz, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Washington. He explains his lab's influential research and uncovers his journey to becoming a successful researcher in the field of neuroscience.

https://www.steinmetzlab.net/

https://sites.uw.edu/biostr/people/faculty/nick-steinmetz/

In this episode, we chat with Pierre Karashchuk, a PhD student in Neuroscience here at UW, and also the Chief Science Officer at Evolution Devices ( evolutiondevices.com/ ). We learn about his current work in proprioception of walking in fruit flies, and how he and his partners launched their successful startup.  

In this episode, we talk to Katherine Pratt, a Program Manager at Microsoft. Katherine's career has taken her through many different sectors, including Government, Graduate School, and the Air Force. We discuss her past work during her PhD at the University of Washington, her current work, and her thoughts on privacy, ethics and policy in relation to Brain Computer Interfaces.

In this episode, we talk to a panelist of graduate students spanning multiple disciplines of neurotechnology to learn more about the process of applying to graduate school and deciding on a program. Our interviewee's include Devon Griggs, an electrical engineering PhD student, Pavi Rajeswaran, a bioengineering PhD student, and Asad Beck, a neuroscience PhD student.

In this episode, we chat with Gabrielle Strandquist (Ellie for short). Ellie is a first-generation PhD student in computer science here at UW, with a non-traditional path to PhD. Ellie works with Dr.'s Bing Brunton and Rajesh Rao on machine learning solutions to analyze neural activity during everyday human behaviors.

In this episode, we chat with Prof. Tim Brown, a new professor at the University of Washington. Prof. Brown is a leading researcher in neuroethics, an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience. We talk to Prof. Brown about his concerns for the future of neurotechnology, and his path to becoming a professor in this space.