A little about me...
I'm a Neuroscience PhD student who prefers drawing/painting/you-name-it over talking to my therapist.
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In all seriousness, I've been drawing for as long as I can remember.​ Sticky feelings are best conveyed when scribbling and scratching on paper, in my opinion.
I studied neuroscience in undergrad, curious about the cognitive correlates of the creative process: what drives the human impulse for self-expression?
As an undergraduate research assistant at the USC Brain & Creativity Institute, I helped investigate how intergenerational storytelling helps teens connect daily experiences to their broader life purpose -- like how my my grandma sharing about how she was the only girl in her 8th-grade class in Vietnam helped me understand that education is a privilege. During this time, I also began studying adaptive therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD), ultimately designing an art therapy program that addresses PD motor symptoms by inspiring alternative forms of self-expression.
This led me to the Poston Lab at the Stanford School of Medicine, where I spent 3 years studying biological markers of neurodegenerative disease, namely Lewy body disease (which includes PD). These biological markers help provide objective information to support diagnostic and treatment decisions for those with neurodegenerative diseases -- similar to how your cholesterol levels give you and your doctor a window into your heart health.
​As I've returned to USC as a Neuroscience PhD student, I'm interested in understanding the biological pathways which underlie our brain's vulnerability and resilience to neurodegenerative disease as we age. I hope to translate this knowledge into preventive strategies for neurodegenerative diseases of age (such as Alzheimer’s disease).
Though my research interests no longer lie within art, I will always be driven by the following: creation is a tool that brings people together.
The collaborative nature of art and science is what makes these fields so impactful. The products of artistic and scientific inquiry are a reflection of the shared human drive to understand, connect with, and better the world around us. When we come together to create something new, not only do we form meaningful relationships with each other, but we also build a greater sense of belonging and purpose.​
​​My art is largely an exploration of identity as I've grown into adulthood, reflecting how incredibly nonlinear this journey of "finding myself" has been. I'm still learning what it means to be a young woman in STEM. As I grow personally, my work (in both science and art) will grow too. I hope you'll join me on this endeavor! ​​
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With love always,
Alena
