I am a recent Brandeis alumna who is having difficulty finding work in research. Though as a pre-med student I have a strong science background, I majored in psychology (with a minor in computer science) rather than neuroscience (which I find far more satisfying and engaging). I am now looking to gain practical experience participating in neuroscience (or related biology) research before applying to graduate programs to gain a better understanding of the realities of a career as a researcher as well as to improve my scientific foundation and expand my research skill repertoire. I have found my major to be quite limiting–though I do have science coursework, I have struggled to find research positions because my major disqualifies me from the majority of lab positions I have come across and I worry I will not be able to get the experience I need to prepare me for graduate studies. I would love to be contacted by someone who can give me advice on how I can, having majored in psychology, reposition myself for a scientific career and make this transition– it would be extremely useful to speak to someone who has made this jump. I would especially love to be contacted by someone who can connect me with a potential employer or even an internship.

Name: Alice Gelman ’13
Majors: Psychology
Hometown: Boston, MA