DATE Lab Chats: Meet Our New Lab Members
With the summer term starting, the lab welcomes a new set of co-op students from UofT Scarborough. We sat down to chat with them and get to know them a bit better with fun questions.
Anushka Bagga, Co-Op Student
Anushka, is a co-op student from the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus majoring in Neuroscience.
What is your role in the lab?
I am a project and research assistant… [] just assisting wherever I can. One of [the projects] is creating a game to improve mobility and balance but excitingly fun.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love watching my shows or spending time with my family
If you could invite any scientist (dead or alive) to dinner,
who would it be?
Mary Whiton Calkins
What is your favourite science ‘fun fact’?
Earth isn’t a perfect sphere, it is actually oblate spheroid
If you could attend a research conference anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Switzerland
What made you interested in dementia research?
My grandma who currently has dementia has been experiencing many ups and downs so I wanted to learn and understand more.
What 3 key search words describe your project?
Dementia, assistive, activity
Serena Dosanjh, Co-op student
Serena, is a co-op student from the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus majoring in Neuroscience.
What is your role in the lab?
I am a project and research assistant. I contribute to two projects: CIRCA, a multimedia project that provides conversation prompts… [for] dementia patients, & DIT, a toolkit that supported compassionate, safe, and effective isolation for patients during COVID-19.
Editor’s note: learn more about these projects here
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
In my spare time I enjoy exercising, reading novels and watching Formula 1 or soccer. I try to spend my time with family and friends whenever possible.
If you could invite any scientist (dead or alive) to dinner,
who would it be?
If I could invite any scientist to dinner, I would invite Marian Diamond. She was one of the founders of modern neuroscience and had discovered that the brain changes with experience and through learning; this phenomenon is now referred to as neuroplasticity.
What is your favourite science ‘fun fact’?
Fun fact: Tomatoes and apples have more genes than humans do!
If you could attend a research conference anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If I could attend a research conference anywhere in the world, I'd choose Lisbon, Portugal. Portugal is such a beautiful country and I hope to visit again.
What made you interested in dementia research?
Dementia is a growing health issue and has a significant impact on the individual’s ability to function independently and their quality of life. It is a complex neurological disorder that challenges the overall understanding of the brain and cognition. Studying dementia allows us to gain a better understanding of memory, thinking and behaviour to develop improved strategies for prevention, early diagnosis, and effective interventions in order to prevent, slow down or manage dementia with the ultimate goal of improving one’s quality of life.
What 3 key search words describe your project?
Three key search words that would describe my projects would be: communication, technology, and advancement.