Living in New York, Desara, a BEAM student and senior at Bronx High School of Science, has long been aware of food insecurity.
“Food insecurity is something I’ve seen around me all my life,” said Desara. “Understanding how it impacts brain development—especially in children—is critical.” For the past two summers, Desara has interned at the neuroscience lab at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, where she researched the effects of food insecurity on human cognitive abilities and development.
For Desara, neuroscience has unlocked a path to combining her love of math and science with her desire to support her community. “Through my internship, I wanted to help identify key areas where targeted solutions could be developed for lasting change.”
Harnessing STEM to Make a Meaningful Impact
Desara attended BEAM summer programs in the summers before seventh and eighth grade. “Before [BEAM], I rarely had the chance to have my curiosity for science and math encouraged. I remember when I sought help with math questions [at BEAM], instructors and counselors helped me by hinting at pathways where I could find the answer myself. Look at a different perspective, test out something you’ve been thinking about but were too scared to try – this was what I learned at BEAM.”
Fast forward to high school: Desara is now an aspiring neuroscientist, driven to harness her love of analytical thinking to create lasting change. “The brain is such a complex part of us, and I wanted to learn more about it,” she said. She pursued an internship with the neuroscience lab at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to further explore the world of the human brain.
Interning at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Desara interned for the Food Insecurity Project, which aims to replicate the effects of food insecurity in mice. “[We studied] the effects of food insecurity on metabolic processes in the brain,” Desara explained. Her day-to-day work involved cutting and mounting brain samples, analyzing neuron images, and collaborating with postdoctoral researchers.
While every day was different, Desara found herself constantly using skills she’d developed at BEAM. “A lot of my work was focused on compiling laboratory test data and performing relevant analyses, which usually meant using various research software tools to analyze and visualize the data effectively,” she explained. “BEAM helped me because when you do that kind of research, you need to understand how the different parts of the brain interact, and how to process lots of data and draw meaningful connections. That requires a lot of analytical thinking skills that BEAM has taught me; I felt comfortable approaching complex problems in a structural, logical way.”
When faced with challenges, like de-bugging a line of code, or choosing what research software to use, Desara would adopt a “BEAM” mindset, reminding herself to approach the problem from a different angle. According to Desara, “I won’t always find the answers I seek on my first attempt — and that’s perfectly okay!”
Desara calls her internship a “Eureka!” moment that has inspired her to pursue further education and research in this field. “I never really understood how detrimental food insecurity could be to someone's cognitive ability, especially in the case of younger children, and how it affects their development,” she said. “In New York City, food insecurity affects so many, particularly people in marginalized communities. While programs like food banks help alleviate the situation significantly, they aren’t deep-rooted solutions that can reverse the potential consequences.”
Looking Ahead
Now a senior in high school, Desara is applying specifically to colleges with strong neuroscience programs. In addition to the individualized college application support she’s received from BEAM, Desara attended BEAM college prep classes in the fall to help prepare her personal statement.
“BEAM is special because it’s not just a program; it’s a network that sticks with you,” she said. “I can depend on BEAM, which is important at this point in my life where I’m not always sure what to do, and I don’t have many connections.” We can’t wait to see what Desara’s future brings!