On Nov. 15-19, thousands of attendees from around the world gathered at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) annual meeting at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, to share and learn about others’ research. Among them were two St. Mary’s College of Maryland students, Julia Thomas ’25 (neuroscience major) and Veronica Velez ‘27 (neuroscience and psychology majors, art minor). Velez and Thomas co-presented a project mentored by Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Torry Dennis, which examined how a ketogenic diet influences cocaine addiction-like behavior in rats.
“It was awesome to see so many people from around the world who are passionate about the brain come together,” said Thomas. This was her second time attending SfN with SMCM, an experience that reinforced her interest in neuroscience. “Presenting again confirmed how much I want to keep doing this work and how much I enjoy being a part of this community,” she said. Reflecting on her mentorship, she added, “I'm also very grateful for the support from Dr. Dennis, the neuroscience program here, and St. Mary's as a whole. Overall, having that kind of encouragement always motivates me more.”
Velez attended SfN for the first time this year and had the opportunity to present her original research, which she began with Dennis during the SMCM St. Mary's Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. Velez reflected on the many career development opportunities that she experienced at SfN. “From the graduate school fairs, I have a much clearer idea of programs I want to apply to! I also have a better idea of the research interests and passions I want to focus on,” she noted. Velez also had the chance to meet professionals in her field of interest and learn from a wide range of researchers throughout her time at SfN.
Thomas’ and Velez’s attendance at SfN were partially supported by neuroscience student travel grants, thanks to generous donations to SMCM’s neuroscience program.
