Story by Candice Harris, Lisa Hebert, Natalina Salmaso (advisor) Carleton Department of Neuroscience EDI committee.
Photography by Lisa Hebert
Bessan Amer, a third-year neuroscience student at Carleton University, is pursuing personally meaningful research, aided by the Undergraduate Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award*, which has opened doors to transformative academic opportunities.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a scientist,” she shares, “I had a project where I literally drew myself as a scientist, maybe in grade four. At first, it was astronomy or physics… but as I grew up, I wanted to help people, so I leaned more into the health side.” Discovering Carleton’s Neuroscience & Mental Health program was a pivotal moment, “I realized that neuroscience is perfect: it’s science and it helps people. I get to learn new things about the brain and why it works, or doesn’t work, the way it does.”
The NeuroEDI Award provided Bessan with a summer internship in Dr. Robyn McQuaid lab, where she immersed herself in research on intergenerational trauma and how certain circumstances can affect pregnant women. “I got to help out with a PhD student’s project on maternal well-being and how low- to moderate-income families are affected during their pregnancies.”
She also had the opportunity to contribute to Dr. Amy Bombay’s research on the Sixties Scoop. “We’re running analyses and trying to get data from that, which is pretty cool because I want to get into Indigenous research. Being able to go into that kind of field and also neuroscience is exactly what I’m interested in.”
Stepping into the lab for the first time was both exciting and challenging. “I was a bit nervous. The lab work involves blood runs, so you have to be very good with timing. There’s a bunch you need to have memorized, and you have to make sure everything is prepped. It was a little bit stressful at first, but now I feel like I could do it with my eyes closed. You pick it up very fast.”
Receiving the EDI Award was a significant milestone, “Obviously, I’ve gained a lot of skills with my lab performance, techniques… but what I hope to get into is research. Knowing how to do that research, seeing the process of doing your PhD from my colleagues in the lab, and just being in a lab environment, that was cool.”
Bessan’s personal background fuels her passion for her research focus, “As a person with a Palestinian background, with everything that’s going on, I think that intergenerational trauma and how that affects a population, even after violence stops, is something that still affects people here, even in Canada.” She also firmly believes in the importance of diverse voices doing research in science. “People have such diverse ways of dealing with things that we’re not able to comprehend or even imagine. That’s why I think it’s crucial to have all types of backgrounds within the world of science.”
Bessan’s advice to others is one of empowerment: “Act on your passions. Whatever you want to do, don’t let anything stop you. This world may be built for certain people that may not look, talk, or think like us, but that frankly doesn’t matter. We’re just as good as the next guy. At the end of the day, we’re all made up of the same things underneath. There’s no difference between you and me. We’re just trying to do good in this world. So, if you want to do good, do good.”
While the internship has concluded, Bessan continues to volunteer in the McQuaid Lab, where she is building on her involvement. “The whole experience is pretty fun, and being able to continue on is even better.” Looking ahead, she envisions a future where her research can make a profound impact. “My dream research project would be figuring out some sort of biomarker on intergenerational resiliency. How do we measure that? What are the mechanisms in the brain that allow people to take on way more than others?”
CU Neuroscience celebrates her achievements and is proud to support her ongoing journey in neuroscience research.
To support future students, consider donating to the NeuroEDI award at: https://futurefunder.carleton.ca/campaigns/neuroscience-edi-award-3
Monday, December 2, 2024 in Award, EDI News, General, Student
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