Graduand Jasmine Sahota has always been captivated by the inner workings of the brain.
Her interest first piqued at high school and from there she went on to do a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at Otago. On Rāapa Wednesday she will graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science, majoring in Neuroscience.
“It’s a field where every discovery feels like unravelling a piece of an intricate puzzle,“ she says.
Her research topic for her PGDipSci focused on neuromodulation of the peripheral nerve, specifically the fibular nerve in the leg. She investigated a non-invasive method of stimulating the fibular nerve to examine its effect on the human autonomic nervous system.
At the beginning of the year, she felt a little bit uncertain, and questioned her ability to carry out the research, “but as time went on, I gained knowledge. And with the guidance of my supervisors, I found my way”.
The most challenging aspect in the end was staying on track with her writing.
“In spite of the challenge, I also found joy in articulating my research findings.”
She says it was an “amazing feeling” to finally submit her dissertation, experiencing a large sigh of relief once it was done.
With the dissertation and oral exams out the way, she took a trip to Queenstown and Milford Sound as a reward for all of her hard work.
Jasmine is returning home to India to visit her parents and intends to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience in the future.