emmadauster

COVID-19 Stinks!

We’ve been enduring this global pandemic for about a year now (depending on where you live), and it is nothing to mess around with. The number of confirmed cases keeps rising with the holiday season and increased visits that come with it. Even with the growing risk of COVID-19, many people are not taking itContinue reading “COVID-19 Stinks!”

Gender in Science Radio Interview

My friend Louis Colaruotolo has an awesome radio show called “We Know Some Stuff” in which he interviews PhD students about their science passions. He is earning his Food Science PhD in Canada, and invited me to be an *international* guest on the show. In my episode, we discussed gender in science from the strugglesContinue reading “Gender in Science Radio Interview”

Bang! “Ouch” Grab

When you bang your elbow on a table, why is your first instinct to grab it? This response might have something to do with how your sensory neurons process information. To learn more about this phenomenon, check out my article on That’s Life [Science].

Why We Don’t Keep Resolutions

In the Summer of 2020, it is easy to tell ourselves that we’ll call our representatives and sign that petition in the hopes of making change for a better world. But why are the rates of follow-through so low? Why don’t more people do these simple tasks that would have such high impact? There are,Continue reading “Why We Don’t Keep Resolutions”

Getting Into a Lab

What to say, who to contact, and how to reach out shouldn’t be some big secret. Whether you’d like to dip your toes in the water of working in a lab or if you think this will be your life’s calling, the first step will likely be the same. This post walks you through someContinue reading “Getting Into a Lab”

Expand Your Mind

Part of our challenge in studying the brain is that it has such small components. For a huge part of human history, we just haven’t had the technology to see neural communication. We continue to be limited by available technology. But one lab is quickly making a name for themselves by thinking outside the boxContinue reading “Expand Your Mind”

Going on Autopilot? Thank Your Place Cells

Have you ever found yourself at work in the morning without any specific memories from the commute? How did you manage to get there without thinking about it? Does your brain know how to get you there effortlessly? Pretty much! There are “place cells” in your brain who’s job is to take over in theseContinue reading “Going on Autopilot? Thank Your Place Cells”

Immunohistochemistry

One man’s illness is another man’s experimental verification method. What is immunohistochemistry and why would we need it? When we want to make specific cells stand out in a crowded jumble, we turn to antibodies and fluorescence. Scientists have developed a tool to study the brain based on the body’s natural immune response. If youContinue reading “Immunohistochemistry”

Managing Up

In many ways, the PhD is not so much about science as it is about communication. I’ve learned lessons about how to more effectively communicate with coworkers, advisors, students of all ages, and peers. These lessons don’t always come easily, but they are valuable no matter where I go from here. Anyone with a bossContinue reading “Managing Up”

Brain Surgery… It’s Not Rocket Science!

I know brain surgery sounds intimidating. Someone who does brain surgeries on a regular basis must be a genius! In reality, it’s probably much lower tech than you’re imagining. I performed my first brain surgery at 19 years old. If you’re interested in neurobiology but are intimidated by the idea of brain surgery, take aContinue reading “Brain Surgery… It’s Not Rocket Science!”