Pueblo Brain Science: 

Hola/Salam, I am Syed (FlyGuy), a junior faculty at the University of New Mexico studying neural development in fruit flies https://www.neuraldiversity.org/  , and the scientists working in the lab https://youtu.be/b8jmIEqAxlE are making impactful contributions to science and diversity in science. Some of the recognitions include the NSF-CAREER Award (2001), Sloan Fellow in Neuroscience (2023), NARSAD Young Investigator (2023), McKnight Scholars Award (2024), Elizabeth Hay New Investigator Award from Society of Developmental Biology (2025) and National Academy Kavli Fellow (2025).

You can read more about my journey into science and my science education interests in this recent Current Biology QA https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.002 

Other than research, I am committed to training and mentoring next-generation neuroscientists. At UNM, I have started an ambitious program, "Pueblo Brain Science", which includes multiple training components targeting a diverse population of students. Together with many other awesome people, we aim to "Build Diversity in Neuroscience" through:

A) NeuroCURE: Each spring, 10-12 undergraduates get training to do and experience science in this discovery-based lab course. Previous year's students share course experiences here: https://youtu.be/66Ot1J_LB9U and here https://youtu.be/VRRkxSOZ8Pk

Please read more about undergraduate researchers in my lab here. Over 70% of these trainees have continued in research! 

B) NEURONAL: An informal mentoring program to mentor the University of New Mexico students. We meet once every month over pizza to share experiences and stories. Two fantastic graduate students, Jessica Belmares-Ortega and Ethan Wilson, lead this program. 

C) NeuroScience Workshop: Students from places like New Mexico lack opportunities to meet scientists and experience science. My colleague Dr. Matthew Clark and I started an annual neuroscience workshop where we train high school teachers, students, and undergrads from different regions of New Mexico. We use fruit flies and 3D-printed modules to teach and excite teachers and students - Some news about the workshop here. This workshop has run annually since 2022, impacting over a thousand trainees, teachers, and community members. Over the years, Drs. Matthew Clark (Bucknell), Budhattiya Chowdhury (CUNY), Durafshan Sakeena Syed (UCSB), Kavin Núñez (NYU), Divya Sitaraman (East Bay College), Vanessa Punal (U. Michigan) and Frank Loesche (Janelia/HHMI) has led the sessions. 

D) Meet A Scientist Program: From my experience, students from non-traditional and underprivileged backgrounds don't envision themselves as scientists since they don't see or meet many scientists like them from their communities. As a graduate student, I started an organization for the students of Kashmir, www.jkscientists.org, where many students and trainees get mentored and meet scientists from similar backgrounds. In New Mexico, I started the "Meet A Scientist" program in New Mexico, and thus far, over 40 neuroscientists have interacted with our students. Thanks to our guest scientists, this program has been highly impactful, and many students, including those from Native American communities, have started working in my lab or other labs at the UNM https://www.pueblobrainscience.org/meet-a-scientist

E) Training High School Students: Students from the high schools of New Mexico participate in neuroscience workshops, visit our lab, and participate in summer research https://www.neuraldiversity.org/scientists Seven high school trainees have participated in our lab research, and over a hundred have participated in the neuroscience workshop. 

F) Science Outreach: We visit Zia, Jemez Pueblo, Dine' schools in Navajo Nation and Tuba City, and many other New Mexico high schools and demonstrate fruit fly-related classroom modules. I also get invited to participate in the education retreats of the Pueblos of Zia and Jemez and the youth festival or any other public events in these communities. We expose the young generation and the educators of these Pueblos to various science modules using 3D-printed tools and fruit flies https://www.neuraldiversity.org/science-outreach

G) Next Generation Science Standards: We are partnering with the high school teachers of New Mexico to take experiments to the classroom and build modules related to fruit fly research. Through science outreach events, training high school teachers, and hands-on activity modules using fruit flies and 3D printed tools, the overarching goal is to implement active learning modules in the school curriculum that align with the next-generation science standard. 

National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, Department of Defense, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and Sloan Foundation support our research. Science Outreach, Education, Training, and Mentoring activities are part of the NSF CAREER and NIH ReWARD Awards.

The Grass Foundation (2022) and HHMI (2023) have sponsored our workshops in the past, and thanks to the local businesses Yasmineh Cafe, Old Town Pizza, and Bawarchi, who sponsored food for the 2023 workshop. We also got free coffee from the local Star Bucks! -

We also laid the foundation of the "Development of Complex Behaviors" community by hosting a two-day symposium (August 31- September 01), where leaders, rising stars, and trainees in the field get together to discuss science and build life-long mentoring connections, read more here. Thanks to the amazing colleagues, Drs. Katherine Nagel (NYU), Josie Clowney (U. Michigan), and David Schopikk (NYU), who helped co-organize the event, and thanks to all the speakers for taking care of their expenses. Last fall, we co-organized a bigger version - "Developmental Specification of Complex Behaviors" at Janelia Research Campus - Thanks to Janelia/HHMI. 

If you are interested in collaborating on any of these activities, please let me know, and I am happy to talk more about my programs and interests. Your contributions will significantly impact the students and help build diversity in neuroscience.