Students 2024

School/Affiliation University of Houston–Clear Lake

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2024) Master of Exercise and Health Science & Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Studies

Biosketch Kate Caughlin, M.S., is a recent graduate of UHCL, specializing in Clinical Exercise Physiology. She has a diverse background, including over 13 years of experience in military leadership roles and corporate environments. During her time at UHCL, she contributed as a research assistant at the Health & Human Performance Institute, focusing on a longitudinal study regarding the combined resistance and metabolic exercise program effects in adults over the age of 40, assessing parameters such as body composition, flexibility, neuromuscular strength and function, balance, and metabolic capacity. A decorated Bronze Star Medal recipient and accomplished athlete, as well as the daughter of an elderly military veteran with Parkinsons, Kate is deeply committed to advancing the health and well-being of individuals with chronic conditions. Alongside her academic endeavors, she values her role as a mother and the importance of fitness in her life.

School/Affiliation The University of Chicago

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) B.S. in Computer Science. Incoming Graduate Student at the University of Chicago

Biosketch Amr Alshatnawi is a graduate student at the University of Chicago pursuing a master’s degree in biomedical informatics. He graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Saint Xavier University in Chicago where he was awarded the outstanding computer science student award. He has completed multiple internships at NASA, most recently he was a 2022 fall intern at NASA Johnson Space Center supporting the Human Physiology, Performance, Protection, and Operations (H-3PO) Laboratory. He is interested in learning about the impact of biomedical research on human health and performance and how it could be used to improve human health.

School/Affiliation Rice University, Shepherd School of Music

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) First Year of Masters in Music (MM) in Violin Performance

Biosketch Nanki Chugh is a violinist from Santa Monica, California. She is currently pursuing a masters of music in violin performance at the Shepherd School of Music in Rice University. She completed her undergraduate degree at Yale University in May 2022 where she studied both music and biochemistry, receiving a bachelors of science in Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics, cum laude, with distinction in the Major. As part of her biology degree, she worked as a research intern in a biochemistry lab at UCLA, a clinical biostatistics lab at Cedars-Sinai, and a neuroscience lab at Yale, studying Drosophila vision. She was the concertmistress and a member of the Programming Committee during Yale Symphony Orchestra’s Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 seasons. She loves dark chocolate, mentoring children, playing chamber music, reading, writing, tidepooling, and bhangra dancing!

School/Affiliation Pursuing M.S. in Orthotics and Prosthetics, Colorado State University; B.S. in Health and Exercise Science

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) Year 2/2.5 of M.S. program in Orthotics and Prosthetics

Biosketch She is a North Dakota native who earned her bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Biomedical Sciences. While at CSU, she worked in the Clinical Biomechanics and Neuromuscular Function labs focusing on turf related injuries and validating smart devices for performing remote motor batteries, respectively. She then went on to begin earning her Master’s in Science from Baylor College of Medicine in Orthotics and Prosthetics. She has completed part of her clinical residency in Minnesota, Washington, and Colorado. Her master’s thesis is focused on resident competency in scoliosis related care. Overall, her current research interests are neuroscience, human mobility and potential, and clinical education.

School/Affiliation Arizona State University

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) Biomedical Engineering, B.S.E

Biosketch I’ve been interested in how the brain works for a very long time, but my interest really grew when I got to college. Getting to explore how the brain works through advanced classes and working in a research lab has allowed me to gain a level of appreciation for the brain I would have never had previously. What drew me to this program was that it would allow me to further delve into the world of neuroscience from an angle that I have not previously explored it. Getting practical experience in running neuroscientific experiments with patients in real time is something I have never done before.

School/Affiliation University of Colorado Boulder

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering

Biosketch I recently completed my degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. I also minored in biomedical engineering. My goal is to have a career working in the medical devices field, as I have always been fascinated by the world of medicine. I hope to have a job where I get to learn new things every day and collaborate with others. I am also considering attending graduate school for biomedical engineering to advance my skills in the field.

School/Affiliation Johns Hopkins University

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) B.S. in Neuroscience

Biosketch Kennedy Leonard completed her B.S. in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University with minors in Music and Spanish for the Professions. Kennedy has been the Music Director of the a cappella group, Adoremus, at Hopkins for the past 2 years, as well as the president of the JHU Choral Society chamber choir, ECCO. Kennedy's prior research experience includes Dr. Pranav Parikh's project at The University of Houston which focuses on stroke rehabilitation and specifically studying deficits in balance and postural movements, as well as Dr. Preeti Raghavan's project at the Johns Hopkins Hospital which focuses on stroke rehabilitation in the upper extremeties. Kennedy's future plans include medical school, and she hopes to continue neuroscience research in the future.

School/Affiliation Carnegie Mellon University

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) Completed first year of Master's of Science — Research in Biomedical Engineering

Biosketch Robert “Danny” Magruder Danny Magruder is integrating his electrical engineering and neuroscience knowledge as a Master’s student at Carnegie Mellon University, studying biomedical engineering. His current research is with TMS for upper extremity stroke neurorehabilitation, and his previous work utilized EEG data in PTSD research. Through coursework, personal ventures, and research projects, Danny is an advanced programmer in MATLAB and C languages. His other interests include soccer and travel, recently going to Barcelona to watch FC Barca play in person. This summer, Danny is thrilled to be working with Dr. Jose L. Contreras-Vidal and Dr. Pranav Parikh in their respective labs.

School/Affiliation University of Houston – Clear Lake

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) 2nd year Masters

Biosketch Found sport science from a creative career as a dance instructor, choreographer, and creative director. Licensed Massage Therapist with sports and orthopedic advanced training. Member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science. BSc in Fitness & Human Performance, and 2nd year master’s student in Exercise & Health Sciences at University of Houston – Clear Lake. Sports interest in professional dance injury prevention and return-to-stage recovery and rehabilitation. Clinical interest in stretch and manual therapy effects on patients with neurologic conditions.

School/Affiliation University of Colorado Boulder

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish

Biosketch Linnea graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Spanish. She has extensive experience working with patients as well as brain machine interfaces and will be going on to PA school in the next few years. She is passionate about the neuroscience behind prosthetic and orthotic devices and hopes to incorporate that work into her future surgical career.

School/Affiliation Stevenson University, Owings Mills, MD

Year of Education Completed (Spring 2023) B.S. in Biomedical Engineering

Biosketch Amir Srour is an accomplished senior student studying Biomedical Engineering from Baltimore, Maryland. He has a passion for research and a particular interest in neuroscience. Currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science degree, Amir is set to graduate in May 2023 from Stevenson University, having already acquired invaluable research experience as an undergraduate, working with Dr. James R. Borrelli on a project focused on preventing fall injury risk. He has presented his findings at various conferences, including the American Society of Biomechanics. Amir is interested in the medical field, particularly in orthopedics and neurology, and plans to pursue a doctorate in medicine in one of those fields. He has volunteered in the neurosurgery department at the University of Maryland Medical Center to gain clinical exposure. As an NSAP trainee, Amir hopes to contribute to groundbreaking research in neuroscience and neurotechnology to make a meaningful impact on the world.