Shanae Aerts is a 3rd year PhD Student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program from Denver, CO. Her research focuses on the neuroanatomy linked to consciousness. Shanae studies the relationship between human brain activity and conscious awareness. Working at the intersection of data analytics and cognitive neuroscience, Shanae is developing a machine learning model to predict conscious auditory perception. Subtle changes in characteristics of the eye, such as blinks and pupil dilation, can be used to determine if a subject has perceived a sound. This moment of perception can then be mapped onto the brain utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This computational modeling method will allow for the precise detection of conscious perception. A more detailed understanding of the neural correlates of consciousness will advance treatments for disorders of awareness such as epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.
Shanae is a passionate advocate for diversity in higher education. She works to promote science-based political policy reform with the Yale Student Science Diplomats and is dedicated to leveraging science as a vehicle for social justice. Shanae serves as the Chair of Empowerment in the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC) and aims to support other underrepresented minorities during their time at Yale GSAS through community-building initiatives.
Learn more about YBDIC here.
