Savannah Maw

When Savannah graduated from high school, she had no direction, and no plans for the future. She worked through the summer and at the last minute, decided to sign up for three classes at the local community college. “One was a psychology course that opened up my mind to the beauty of education, learning, research and growing as a person.” She now had a goal: “I spent the next two years taking the courses necessary to increase my chances of admission into a University of California. I am here today at UC San Diego, now dreaming of a career in neuroscience. I love psychology and especially the neuroscientific aspect of it.”

Savannah has maintained a high GPA while carrying a rigorous course load, volunteering in a research lab and earning honors and scholarships. “In the lab, I have gained skills in planning and implementing mouse behavior tasks, as well as data collection, microscopy and data analysis. Along with this, I have learned a lot about what it takes to be a good researcher and I have begun to deeply understand many of the methods used in neuroscientific research.”

Savannah also volunteers in a cognitive science lab, placing EEG electrodes on human subjects, collecting and processing data. “Between the two labs, I have learned the sides of neuroscience from the perspective of a cognitive scientist who works with human subjects, and a biologist who works with animal subjects and on a cellular level. I am lucky to have found these experiences at UC San Diego and been able to immerse myself in a fascinating discipline.”

Her hope is to go on to earn a PhD, something she could not fathom just a few years ago. “When I was in high school, problems in my family became so severe that I had to move, live with another family and change schools. My mental health began to deteriorate. I had a lot to cope with but zero coping skills. I despised school and resented my life. I did not imagine going to college, nor did I envision being the successful and intelligent woman that I am today. It was not until after high school that I finally understood that through school, I could not only improve my life but also improve the lives of others. From that moment of realization, I have dedicated my life to research, learning and growing.”