Pazos Participates in Prestigious Cognitive and Brain Science Workshop

Laura Pazos now has more on her mind about the mind after participating in a highly selective national workshop on cognition and neuroscience.

Pazos, a University of Southern Mississippi (USM) senior from Slidell, La. was selected for the 2018 Summer Workshop in Cognitive and Brain Sciences, held in June at the University of Delaware. The workshop provides undergraduate students with opportunities to engage in cognitive neuroscience research methods in a week-long program that also covers travel and accommodations.

“I'm really honored to have been chosen, and wouldn't have exchanged the experience for the world,” said Pazos, a student in the USM Honors College. “It opened my eyes to so many facets of cognitive science and neuroscience. I learned where in each of our brains certain parts are and what they look like, and took part in hands-on experiences with machines such as the fMRI and EEG machines.

“And I found a new love – neuropsychology.”

Pazos also got a 3-D print image of her brain at the workshop. “It's a really great conversation starter,” she said.  

A biology major minoring in chemistry and psychology, Pazos is completing her honors thesis with the support of faculty mentor Dr. Mark J. Huff, assistant professor of psychology, in his Memory Attentional Control and Aging (MACA) lab.

Pazos is also a recent recipient of the USM psychology program's Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award.

“Laura's acceptance into this program was no small feat,” said Dr. Huff. “There were over 250 applicants from across the country, and only a few were selected, so it's a tremendous national accomplishment. Her future is clearly very bright.”

For more information about the workshop, visit https://www.psych.udel.edu/brainworkshop.