Eza Kadir

Where did you transfer from?

INTI International University, Malaysia

Why did you want to come to the University?

I transferred because I was interested in the diverse research that occurs at the University. I thought getting research experience would help me flourish as a neuroscience major.

What are you researching?

We are researching how an increase in oscillatory activity in the brain affects rapid shape detection in monkeys. We look at single cell recordings (spikes) and local field potential (LFP) recordings. If the results are positive, it means that rhythmic activity plays a role in the later visual areas of the brain. I chose this research project because I found it interesting that rhythmic activity may play a part in spatial attention. I also wanted to get experience analyzing data with computer programs like MATLAB. This research is important because rapid shape detection is important in daily life, as we constantly need to identify objects that are both familiar and unfamiliar to us.

What have you gotten out of this experience?

This research opportunity is a whole new experience for me. I am in a lab where using MATLAB is essential to analyze data. I have no background with this type of software, but I am slowly learning how to use MATLAB. Participating in research for almost two months now, I have found that data presentation plays a big part in computational neuroscience. I have a better understanding of data presented in scientific papers now that I have gotten firsthand experience working with and analyzing data.

What are your interests outside of school?

I love running outside (when it's not cold), traveling whenever possible, writing, and reading.

Do you participate in extracurricular activities?

I am active in the Malaysian Student Association, the International Buddy Program as well as events related to the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) at the University. I volunteer every once in a while in my free time and frequently play sports.

What are you plans for the future?

I want to delve deeper into psychology in graduate school. I believe that my background in neuroscience would help me a lot in this area of study. As for the rest of my time here at the University, I would love to have the chance to get more research experience exploring new things.

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