One of the most memorable moments at Neuroscape for Bijurika Nandi was just before the COVID-19 shutdown. Her first day on the job was the 16th of March 2020 and she had just moved to San Francisco from Gainesville, Florida, after getting her PhD in biomedical engineering. 

“I did my onboarding and met Adam [Gazzaley] on my first day, and the very next day, San Francisco shut down due to COVID,” she recalls. “I can't believe I started a new job and spent almost the first 2 years completely at home in a new city. It was really an experience! But I am grateful the Neuroscape team checked up on me every now and then.”

Nandi, a postdoc at Neuroscape, has a background in electrical engineering that has enabled her to find solutions to biomedical and biological problems, She ultimately hopes to help people with neurodegenerative diseases have a better quality of life. “This is also the reason why I chose Neuroscape in the first place, to be able to work in the junction of neuroscience and technology,” she explains. “I have seen too many people around me suffer from these neurodegenerative diseases, and I want to work to find a solution that is sustainable, inexpensive, and accessible to the masses.” 

At Neuroscape, Talisha Pereira has found “endless opportunities for growth and experience.” An undergraduate psychology student at the University of San Francisco, Pereira signed up to volunteer at Neuroscape to learn more not only about the brain but also about how to use that knowledge to help local communities. 

Pereira’s primary role at Neuroscape is to conduct studies with older adult participants, including the Remote Characterization Module (RCM). A tablet-based application, RCM uses speech recognition technology to provide self-directed cognitive tasks to study participants. Pereira sets up the study rooms with iPads to run RCM, and then walks participants through the process.

As Pereira looks toward applying to medical school, she says that Neuroscape has given her new confidence. “Volunteering at Neuroscape, I have gained leadership and research experience while making friends,” she says. “By doing research, I am able to be part of making a difference in the future.”