S3 Ep Bonus! Behind the scenes at Neurohackademy!

02/24/25 • 25 min

Sensitive Periods: A Flux Society Podcast

This bonus episode takes a behind-the-scenes glimpse at last year's Neurohackademy, a data science and neuroimaging workshop hosted by the University of Washington's eScience Institute. Often attended by members of the Flux community, Neurohackademy is known for its fun and inclusive approach! We are joined by three graduate student participants from last year's program (Rohini Kumar, Dominique Lopiccolo, and Melissa Hansen) and Neurohackademy instructors Dr. Ariel Rokem and Dr. Noah Benson.
Visit our Buzzsprout for other episodes. https://sensitiveperiods.buzzsprout.com
For a full transcript, visit: https://bit.ly/FluxSPS3EBonus
Episode links

Information about Neurohackademy: https://neurohackademy.org/
Link to apply to Neurohackademy 2025: https://neurohackademy.org/apply

Connect with our guests:

UW eScience Institute: @uwescience.bsky.social, @uwescience on instagram
Noah Benson: @noahbenson on GitHub
Melissa Hansen: @melissamjhansen on X, @melissamhansen on GitHub
Rohini Kumar: @rohini__kumar on X
Dominique Lopiccolo: @D_Lopiccolo on X, @dominique-lopiccolo on GitHub, and @d-lopiccolo.bsky.social
Ariel Rokem: @arokem.org on Bluesky, @arokem on GitHub

Twitter: @FluxSociety
Facebook: facebook.com/FluxSociety/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fluxsociety/

Information about Neurohackademy: https://neurohackademy.org/
Link to apply to Neurohackademy 2025: https://neurohackademy.org/apply

Connect with our guests:

UW eScience Institute: @uwescience.bsky.social, @uwescience on instagram
Noah Benson: @noahbenson on GitHub
Melissa Hansen: @melissamjhansen on X, @melissamhansen on GitHub
Rohini Kumar: @rohini__kumar on X
Dominique Lopiccolo: @D_Lopiccolo on X, @dominique-lopiccolo on GitHub, and @d-lopiccolo.bsky.social
Ariel Rokem: @arokem.org on Bluesky, @arokem on GitHub

Twitter: @FluxSociety
Facebook: facebook.com/FluxSociety/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fluxsociety/

Previous Episode

S3E3: Training in Science Communication with Dr. Daniela Schiller and Dr. Bradley Voytek

Flux and cognitive neuroscience more broadly are increasingly focused on translating our science for public impact. Yet, we receive little training to know how to do this. In this episode, we hear from Dr. Daniela Schiller and Dr. Bradley Voytek about their journeys through science communication, which include creating a graduate course teaching SciComm and writing a popular neuroscience book. Along the way, we touch on benefits for your own science, starting small, pursuing passions, and more.
Visit our Buzzsprout for other episodes. https://sensitiveperiods.buzzsprout.com
Of relevance:

S1E2 on science communication and equity
S2E2 on engaging in public policy

For a full transcript, visit: https://bit.ly/FluxSPS3E3
Episode links:

Follow us on social media!
Twitter: @FluxSociety
Facebook: facebook.com/FluxSociety/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fluxsociety/
Reach out to your host, Matt Mattoni ([email protected])

Next Episode

S3E4 Strength-based approaches in DCN with Drs. Divyangana Rakesh, Monica Ellwood-Lowe and Meriah DeJoseph

In this episode, we chat about strength-based approaches in developmental cognitive neuroscience and the importance of identifying and building upon individuals' strength rather than solely focusing on deficits/weaknesses. We explore how strength-based perspectives highlight individuals' resilience and adaptivity in the face of structural inequities, and the ways we can incorporate strength-based approaches in our work. Gavkhar is joined by wonderful guests who have done and are continuing to do impactful work in advancing strength-based research in our field -- Drs. Divyangana Rakesh, Monica Ellwood-Lowe, and Meriah DeJoseph.

For a full transcript, visit: bit.ly/S3E4-strength-based-in-dcn

Connect with our guests:

Dr. Monica Ellwood-Lowe: @mellwoodlowe.bsky.social
Dr. Meriah DeJoseph: @meriahdejoseph.bsky.social
Dr. Divyangana Rakesh: @divyangana.bsky.social

Relevant resources and discussed papers:

Communicating and Expanding Research on Adversity Network (https://cera-network.com/)
Monica E. Ellwood-Lowe, Gabriel Reyes, Meriah L. DeJoseph, Willem E. Frankenhuis; Caring for Children in Lower-SES Contexts: Recognizing Parents' Agency, Adaptivity & Resourcefulness. Daedalus 2025; 154 (1): 52–69. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/daed_a_02123
DeJoseph, M. L., Ellwood-Lowe, M. E., Miller-Cotto, D., Silverman, D., Shannon, K. A., Reyes, G., Rakesh, D., & Frankenhuis, W. E. (2024). The promise and pitfalls of a strength-based approach to child poverty and neurocognitive development: Implications for policy. Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 66, 101375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101375
Rakesh, D., Sadikova, E., & McLaughlin, K. (2024). Beyond the income‐achievement gap: The role of individual, family, and environmental factors in cognitive resilience among low‐income youth. JCPP Advances, Article e12297. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12297
Ellwood-Lowe, M. E., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., & Bunge, S. A. (2021). Brain network coupling associated with cognitive performance varies as a function of a child's environment in the ABCD study. Nature communications, 12(1), 7183. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27336-y
Banerjee, A. V., Bhattacharjee, S., Chattopadhyay, R., Duflo, E., Ganimian, A. J., Rajah, K., & Spelke, E. S. (2025). Children’s arithmetic skills do not transfer between applied and academic mathematics. Nature, 1-9.
Hoff, Karla and Pandey, Priyank, Belief Systems and Durable Inequalities: An Experimental Investigation of Indian Caste (June 25, 2004). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=610395
Taylor, E. K., Abdurokhmonova, G., & Romeo, R. R. (2023). Socioeconomic status and reading development: Moving from “deficit” to “adaptation” in neurobiological models of experience‐dependent learning. Mind, Brain, and Education, 17(4), 324–333. https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12351