91´óÉñ

The Brain Health Research Institute Undergraduate Fellows Program offers highly qualified and motivated undergraduate students an immersive program that includes research-intensive experiences in neuroscience as well as mentoring, skills training and career development support.  The culmination of the Fellows' experience is a capstone presentation of their research.

This year's BHRI Fellows cohort consists of students in the following majors: Speech Pathology and Audiology, Neuroscience, Premed Biology, Psychology, Nursing, Biological anthropology, Biotechnology. 

Name: Rishi Ahuja

Major: Biotechnology

Hometown: Manali, India

Mentor: Robert Clements, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Hello! I am Rishu, from Manali, India. I am majoring in Biotechnology, and in the upcoming year, I will be a senior. I have been involved in research for 2 years under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer McDonough and Dr. Robert Clements. My research is in neurodegeneration and primarily focuses on Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This summer, I am studying how supplementing N-acetyl-L-aspartate (NAA) affects oligodendrocyte maturation, metabolism, myelination, and epigenetic modifications. I work with oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) from rat embryos and use them for protocols like Seahorse respirometry, Western blots, and RT-qPCR. I am especially focusing on the electrospinning technique and 3D artificial axon scaffolds to model myelination in vitro and study how NAA may support this process.  Additionally, I will work with Dr. Kasumov at NEOMED to study the effects of alcohol on the brain and its impact on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients. I founded the Kent Undergraduate Research Association (KURA) to help students connect with research opportunities and faculty mentors. Outside of school, I do hip-hop and am also a part of a dance team. I love listening to music. I am also a skilled artist and enjoy sketching portraits. 

Name: Aryamann Bhardwaj

Major: Biology (Pre-Medicine)

Hometown: India

Mentor: Colleen Novak, PhD, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

Hi! My name is Aryamann Bhardwaj (him), and I’m originally from India. I’m currently a sophomore at 91´óÉñ majoring in Biology on the pre-med track, and I will be entering my junior year in the 2026–2027 academic year, with a strong interest in neuroscience. I’m excited about this research experience because it allows me to explore how molecular and genetic changes in the brain can impact neurological function and disease. This summer, I will be working under Dr. Colleen M. Novak, studying how Toxoplasma gondii infection affects gene expression in the brain by analyzing RNA sequencing data and identifying key biological pathways involved. Outside of academics, I enjoy working out, building tech and healthcare-related projects, and exploring innovation in medicine.

Name: William Doering 

Major: Psychology 

Hometown: Rossford, Ohio

Mentor: Karin Coifman, PhD, Director, BHRI, and Professor, Psychological Sciences

Hello, I am from Rossford Ohio. I am majoring in Psychology and will be a Junior for the 2026-2027 year. I will be looking at the concordance between subjective reports and objective measurements of emotion and investigating how the alignment between the two predicts Psychological health and other outcomes. My hobbies include playing musical instruments, engaging with nature, reading, and playing video games.  

Name: Natalie Kibler

Major: Pathology and Audiology major

Hometown: Uniontown, Ohio

Mentor: Julia Huyck, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, and Assistant Director, BHRI

I am from Uniontown Ohio, and I am a senior in the upcoming academic year, and I am graduating in December.

I am a Speech Language Pathology and Audiology major, planning on going into Audiology.

My goal during this summer is to build confidence in my abilities as a researcher, and to make myself skilled in basic audiological tasks. I am doing research this summer with juveniles and how medical conditions affect hearing and auditory recognitions. 

Name: Ashley Knowlton

Major: Neuroscience (Pre-Medicine)

Hometown: Bowling Green, OH

Mentor: Wilson Chung, PhD, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences

I am an upcoming senior and majoring in Neuroscience/ Pre-Med. I am originally from Bowling Green, OH, but came here to Kent for a new college experience. I have always been interested in research, especially relating to the neuroscience aspect and am passionate about pursuing an impactful career for my community. My research this summer is based around the impact that the TET1 gene can have on gene expression and pathways relating to GnRH neurons, and other reactome pathways. One fact about me would be that I play viola in the 91´óÉñ Symphony Orchestra!

Name: Dakota Scott

Major: Speech Language Pathology and Audiology 

Hometown: Cleveland Ohio

Mentor: Julia Huyck, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, and Assistant Director, BHRI

My hobbies outside of research includes reading and hanging out with my cat Francis.

I am from Cleveland Ohio, I am a senior in the upcoming academic year graduating in December. My major is Speech Language Pathology and Audiology with a focus in Audiology. My goals in doing research are to strengthen and build upon the b=abilities that I already have to make myself more competent. the research that I am doing this summer is on sound and word recognition in neurodivergent populations. my hobbies are painting and building with Legos. 

Name: Afifa Tahsin 

Major: Neuroscience (Pre-Medicine)

Hometown: Bangladesh

Mentor: Joe Bedont, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

I am Afifa Tahsin from Bangladesh, a sophomore pursuing a major in Neuroscience with a focus on Pre-Medicine. This summer, I'll be gaining research experience in nitrogen metabolism, excretion, and sleep which is fascinating since it helps me comprehend the physiological mechanisms involved in promoting good health and optimal brain performance. This opportunity excites me as it would allow me to develop my cognitive and scientific abilities in preparation for my future career as a doctor and a researcher. Apart from my academic pursuits, I love traveling to different locations, clicking pictures, writing journals, and crafting things. An interesting thing about myself is that I love to transform my everyday life events into "mini story projects" through the combination of my photography and journal writing skills.

Name: Rishav Yadav

Major: Nursing 

Hometown: Sisautiya, Nepal

Mentor: Stacy Miner, PhD, RN, CCRP, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing

Hi, My name is Rishav Yadav (He/Him), and I am originally from Nepal. I am a sophomore student in Nursing major. This summer I will be working with Dr. Miner on topics related to Autism spectrum disorder in children. I am especially interested in understanding how research can improve patient care and outcomes in pediatric populations. Apart from academics, I enjoy exploring places, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.