Ketan is a fourth-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program. With a B.S. and M.S. in Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India, and industry experience in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, Ketan aims to enhance astronaut safety through his research using rodent models for cognitive and sensorimotor assessments.

Awards: 1st Place Poster GPSA 2025; Patricia Sastaunik Scholarship 2025, 2026; Summer Doctoral Research Fellowship 2025, 2026;  Rebel Doctoral Student of the Year Award

Research Interests: how spaceflight stressors, like radiation and microgravity, impact Alzheimer's disease

Hobbies: exploring international cuisines, traveling, and playing soccer

Susan is a third-year doctoral student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Ph.D. Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She earned her B.A. in Psychology from UNLV. Her research focuses on vestibular and sensorimotor function, neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and their relevance to human adaptation during spaceflight. She completed two summer internships in the Neuroscience Laboratory at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Research Interests: Behavioral neuroscience, vestibular and sensorimotor function, neurodevelopmental disorders, human spaceflight, and translational neuroscience.

Hobbies: Running, playing soccer, acting, singing, and enjoying the outdoors with family.

Kaela graduated from UNLV in Fall 2023 with a B.A. in psychology. Upon graduation, she joined the BRaIN lab, where her passion for research flourished. Now as a first-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program, she is eager to use her findings to positively influence policy and foster innovation in the neuroscience field.

Awards: 1st Place Talk GPSA 2026

Research Interests: sensorimotor decline and how age, disease, and spaceflight exacerbate it

Hobbies: frequenting cafes, going to concerts, and completing random art projects

Teresa is a recent graduate of UNLV with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. Her plans are to receive further research experience at UNLV, while striving to achieve her Ph.D. in neuroscience. She is currently a first-year graduate student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program.

Research Interests: neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, attention and memory, behaviors following traumatic brain injuries, psychiatric disorders, and the behavioral and biological factors of developmental disorders

Hobbies: reading, finding new places in Vegas to experience, listening to music, and spending time with family

Navaeh recently earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience at UNLV. She will be starting her first year in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience PhD Program here at UNLV this fall. Navaeh's main goals is to investigate the effects of space-flight stressors in vestibular and sensorimotor health enhancing astronauts long-term health. 
Research Interests: sensorimotor, space-flight stressors, vestibular, and memory.

Hobbies: reading, video games, and knitting