I joined the Neural Circuits and Memory Lab as a neuroscience graduate student in the fall of 2020. Previously, I received my B.S. in neuroscience and B.A. in psychology from Bethel University (MN). At Bethel, I studied hippocampal place cells and gamma oscillations in Adam Johnson’s lab with the intention of understanding mechanisms of memory encoding and retrieval. I went on to research the relationship between prosopagnosia (face blindness) and tone deafness in humans with Sherryse Corrow, and then ended my undergrad experience with a semester abroad at Oxford University studying philosophy and psychology. Following graduation, I worked in Geoff Ghose’s lab at the University of Minnesota studying the visual cortex and attention in macaques.
Here at the University of Michigan, I am studying how the brain segments continuous experiences into distinct episodic memories. I do this through analyzing place cell sequences during navigation and subsequent rest and sleep. This work is done in collaboration with Dr. Lila Davachi at Columbia University with the purpose of harnessing cross-model (rodent and human) perspectives on episodic memory research. I’m also deeply interested in how episodic memory relates to our conscious experience, which has influenced my involvement in the Center for Consciousness Science here at Michigan.
Outside of the lab, you’ll find me singing, training for my next marathon, or engaging in science communication (see below).
https://biologos.org/podcast-episodes/neuroscience-mental-health-and-the-church
How your brain helps you find your buried treasure – Scientist Spotlight | Rachel Wahlberg
