Community
The following are Columbia University affiliated programs that focus on building a greater community through education, mentorship, and outreach.
NB&B Student Leadership and Service awards
Neurobiology and Behavior graduate students are leaders in outreach, teaching, mentoring, and community service. To recognize these outstanding contributions, we established NB&B Student Leadership and Service Awards. Awardees may be recognized for their leadership and service in the NB&B program, or for leadership and service in the broader community. Students may be self-nominated, or nominated by their student and faculty colleagues, and are evaluated by a student-nominated faculty committee.
Awardees
Briana McRae
Brianna has been involved in multiple years of service on the Recruitment planning committee. Her community outreach includes leadership in the Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach (CUNO) Saturday Science program, and service as a mentor in programs such as the Columbia Black Undergraduate Mentorship Program (BUMP) Biology and Black People Space.
Elizabeth Pekarskaya
Liz’s leadership and service to NB&B includes participation in the planning committees for our first-year Boot Camp, Recruitment, and our Program Retreat. She co-founded and chaired our Student Advisory Committee (SAC), and co-founded a Peer Mentorship Program to pair first-year students with advanced students for guidance and networking during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. In the community, she has served as a writer and editor for the Scientist on the Subway (SciSub) blog as part of Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach, and been a mentor for Women in Science at Columbia (WISC) and the Columbia Black Undergraduate Mentorship Program (BUMP) Biology.
Michelle Stackmann
Michelle was active in Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach (CUNO), including serving as Co-President and co-founding the Scientist on the Subway (SciSub) blog. She oversaw community outreach activities such as their monthly ‘Saturday Science’ events and presented her work during ‘Late Night Science.’ Michelle organized CUNO’s first Bilingual Brain Fair, and was involved in the translation of neuroscience lesson plans into Spanish which were then shared online for public use. She was also a mentor with Científico Latino’s Graduate Student Mentorship Initiative (GSMI).
Jasmine Stone
Jasmine has demonstrated a deep commitment to teaching and mentorship outreach for NB&B and the wider Columbia community. She co-founded and chaired a mentorship working group at the Zuckerman Institute to bring together students, postdocs, faculty, and administration to advance mentorship training and coaching; she is also an active participant in the ZI Trainee Advisory Committee (ZTAC). She has provided teaching resources to our community as a Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) lead teaching fellow, helped expand NB&Bs Python course, and worked with NB&B administrators to enhance the students experience by organizing initiatives such as an annual tax information session. She serves as a mentor for the Columbia Access to Doctoral REadiness (CADRE) post-baccalaureate program. She has also served on the Bootcamp planning committee.
Andrés Villegas
Andrés was instrumental in the founding of NB&B’s Columbia Access Neuroscience (CAN) program to advise diverse undergraduates applying to graduate school. He was also an early participant in our Student Advisory Committee (SAC). He participated in the Columbia Neuroscience Seminar Selection Committee to promote diversity and inclusion among invited speakers, and served on the social events committee for Zuckerman Institute Gender Inclusion (ZIGI) group. As vice-president of Columbia University Neuroscience Outreach (CUNO) he spearheaded the development of programming for the Latino community, and led the Bilingual Brain Fair. He also organized science lectures and tutoring sessions at area high schools. Andrés served as a panelist for Columbia’s participation in ENDURE (NIH Blueprint Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences).
Nominees
Valentine Andreu
Amanda Anqueira
Nick Bulthuis
Lilian Coie
Kevin Gonzalez
Kimberly Hernandez
Risa Kimura
Yvonne Li
Abhishek Shah
Sharon Su
Abby Wood
Marjorie Xie
Awardees
Ines Aitsahalia
Ines has demonstrated exceptional commitment to teaching and curriculum development in the NB&B program. She led the restructuring efforts of the Math Tools course to support students with diverse quantitative backgrounds as they enter NB&B’s Theoretical Neuroscience curriculum and shared her materials as a public resource. She has also been a TA for core courses, led instruction at Barnard, and was selected as a Lead Teaching Fellow and Presidential Teaching Award finalist. Ines serves as student representative on the NB&B Rigor and Reproducibility Committee and conducts innovative computational psychiatry research supported by an NSF Graduate Fellowship.
Amanda Anqueira
Amanda has made significant contributions to expanding access to neuroscience research at Columbia and beyond. She co-leads Columbia Access Neuroscience (CAN), and serves as VP of Spanish Programming for CUNO, where she helps make neuroscience accessible to Spanish-speaking communities. She also mentors undergraduates, organizes program events, and works with national initiatives like Semillas del Triunfo to support Latina girls in STEM. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to mentorship and community-building.
Nick Bulthuis
Nick has shown leadership through his scientific communication, teaching, and community engagement. He has mentored students, led training in his lab, taught science writing courses for undergraduates, and helped organize an international neuroscience conference. As CUNO president, he expanded outreach efforts, launched at-home learning kits, and advocated for science funding in Washington, D.C. Nick also earned both NSF and F31 fellowships and is widely recognized for his collaborative and service-driven approach to science.
Kimberly Hernandez
Kimberly founded Columbia Access Neuroscience (CAN), an annual event that introduces undergraduates of outstanding potential to neuroscience research and graduate school pathways. She conceived of and ran the program in its first years, working with faculty and students to develop informational panels, mock interview sessions, and networking events. Kimberly’s initiative has had lasting impact, inspiring other students to continue the program and strengthening NB&B’s commitment to promoting broad participation in neuroscience research.
Nathan Nadler
Nathan has played a vital leadership role in organizing NB&B’s recruitment events for two years. He coordinated lab and apartment tours, led student panels, managed event logistics, and delivered welcome speeches at the Open House. He consistently took on high-responsibility roles and contributed significantly to the program’s successful applicant recruitment. Nathan also volunteers with CUNO and leads the Late Night Science initiative, further demonstrating his dedication to outreach, service, and student support.
John Rinald
John led a major restructuring of the core Survey of Neuroscience course, transforming it into a more cohesive and accessible experience for students with diverse academic backgrounds. He collected feedback, collaborated with faculty to revise course structure, and introduced active learning, clear learning objectives, and assessments. He has served as a TA for four semesters, supporting the course’s long-term success. John’s leadership has meaningfully improved the program’s educational foundation and student experience.
Nominees
Valentine Andreu
Tracy Chen
Clara Liff
Arnav Raha