Xander Atalay, B.A.

I grew up in Rhode Island and went to a small boarding school in Delaware, where I developed interests in biology, physics, and philosophy. During my first year at the University of Virginia, as I fell in love with neuroscience, I started taking computer science courses to strengthen my technical background. As a second year, I joined the UVA Functional Neuroradiology Lab and applied to the small, research-focused neuroscience major. Throughout my undergraduate career, I was able to take amazing classes that fostered connections between my growing interests in neuroscience and data science. I’m fascinated by all aspects of the brain, but particularly interested in how it integrates information to give rise to conscious experience. I’m also interested in sensory neurobiology, computational neuroscience, machine learning, and data visualization.

I am thrilled and grateful to have joined the NICC lab, where I can grow as a scientist and a person while contributing to truly meaningful work. Outside of research, I enjoy sunrise rows on the Charles, traveling, videography, star gazing, and cooking.