HC: Introduce yourself!
BW: Hi! My name is Brishti White and I am senior Biology and Psychology double major. Since most people inquire about my name; I am half-Indian and Brishti is the Bengali word for ‘rain’. I am (technically) not a Morgantown-native because I lived 15 years of my life in Columbia, MO but ended up moving to Morgantown my junior year of high school. One wonderful part about being a student at WVU is the vast amount of opportunities to explore, which is why I decided to get involved with the WVU Jazz Department; where I sing with an instrumental combo. Outside of academics, I enjoy traveling, good food, good company, and spending time in the beautiful West Virginia landscape.
HC: Tell us about the WVU Neuroscience Club
BW: On campus, I am president of the WVU Neuroscience Club– a club that aims to promote neuroscience education, research experience, and professional development opportunities for WVU undergraduate students. In addition, this group engages in brain awareness community outreach efforts that to date have reached more than 1500 Morgantown children, teachers and parents.
HC: How did you get involved with the group?
BW: I got involved with the WVU Neuroscience Club after I read Oliver Sacks’ book “The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat” and developed a deep curiosity and appreciation for the brain. This interest was solidified after I started working in Dr. Engler-Chiurazzi’s Neuro-immunology lab. Originally, I had my sights set on medical school but after being immersed in the world of research and having a couple ‘life talks’ with my mentor, I realized I was much more fascinated with the research career trajectory.
HC: What are your future goals for the organization?
BW: Future goals for the club would be to first and foremost, grow our neuroscience community at WVU by promoting a passion and curiosity within undergraduates involved in the club. Then, I hope to extend this to the greater Morgantown community—starting with outreach efforts to elementary and middle schools. I want people to see how cross-disciplinary neuroscience is and that, at its core, neuroscience is accessible to everyone.
HC: What are you hoping to do after graduating from WVU?
BW: After graduating, my hope is to pursue a PhD in either cognitive or behavioral neuroscience. I haven’t decided if I want to go the MD/PhD route but it’s a possibility.
HC: What is your take on the importance of mental health awareness for college students?
BW: Mental-health awareness is of utmost importance for college students. With college being a time of navigating through new academic and relational territory, stressors are inevitable and dealing with them in an efficient, healthy way is vital. This starts with being aware and recognizing when help is needed. It is critical to inform public perception and awareness regarding mental health on college campuses so students are equipped with the tools necessary to flourish during their time in college and beyond.