CONNECT SEMINAR SERIES 2025-26
CONNECT is an initiative supported by UC Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory to build networks and share resources and expertise in the field of Science Outreach and Education. This series will span topics including neuroscience education tool development, pathways to obtaining funding for outreach and education, publication opportunities, evaluation of outreach programs, the value of cultural wealth in neuroscience outreach, building cross-institutional and national bridges, and building a STEM outreach program from the drawing board to publication.
Virtual Link: Link will be provided to all CONNECT Seminar Series Registrants
Code of Conduct: All event attendees must adhere to the CNLM Code of Conduct.
Questions? Please email explorethebrain@uci.edu
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 - 10:00 AM
Robert Knight, M.D.
Distinguished Professor, UC Berkeley,
Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute;
Co-Chief Editor of Frontiers for Young Minds
Frontiers for Young Minds: Kids Say The Darndest Things
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 - 10:00 AM
Caitlin Vander Weele, Ph.D.
Founder and CEO,
Stellate Communications
Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Claire Weichsekbaum, Ph.D.
Education and Engagement Specialist,
Allen Institute
Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Maria Strangas, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Science Research Experiences,
American Museum of Natural History
Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Jayatri Das
Chief Bioscientist,
The Franklin Institute
Wednesday, April 4th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Chinmayi Balusu, MPH
Founder & CEO,
Simply Neuroscience
Joint Session
Wednesday, April 4th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Kathleen Roina
Director, Dana Education Program,
Dana Foundation
Diana Li, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Education & Training Initiatives,
Public Programs Team,
Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute
Wednesday, May 6th, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Merci Best, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan;
Founder of Building B.R.A.I.N. Wealth and STEAMKITX
Past Events
2024 - 2025
The 2024–2025 CONNECT Seminar Series, marked the launch of a new initiative dedicated to building networks and sharing expertise in neuroscience outreach and education.
This inaugural series featured speakers Caroline Montojo, Ph.D., Greg Gage, Ph.D., Manuella Oliveira Yassa, Ph.D., Christian Bravo Rivera, Ph.D., Kristin Bass, Ph.D., Brinley Kantorski, Ph.D., Marguerite Matthews, Ph.D., and Carla Romney, Sc.D., MBA.
Sessions explored neuroscience education tools, program evaluation, funding strategies, cultural wealth in outreach, and collaboration across institutions. The CONNECT Series represents the beginning of an ongoing effort to foster dialogue and strengthen the growing community dedicated to neuroscience education and outreach
Meet the CONNECT Team
Manuella Oliveira Yassa, Ph.D.
Director of Outreach and Education
Ph.D., University of California, Irvine
M.A., University of California, Irvine
B.A., Johns Hopkins University
Manuella completed her Bachelor's degree in neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University, and her Master's and Doctoral degrees in Social Ecology with a focus on neuroscience education and the impact of university-community partnerships on the diversity of the STEM educational system and workforce.
Morgan Coburn, Ph.D. (she/her)
Assistant Director of Outreach and Education
Ph.D and M.S., University of California, Irvine
B.A., Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley
Morgan grew up in San Juan Capistrano, before she traveled to Western Massachusetts to complete her Bachelors in Neuroscience and Behavior at Mount Holyoke College. She returned to Southern California to complete her Masters and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences in the laboratory of Dr. Mathew Blurton-Jones. Her doctoral research focused on human microglial dynamics in Alzheimer’s Disease. Morgan then completed a Postdoc at the University of Virginia with Dr. Ukpong Eyo before returning to the CNLM team. In her role, she works to advance the Outreach and Education goals of the CNLM to create accessible, equitable, and high-quality learning experiences in partnership with communities.
Erin Purvis Conway, Ph.D. (she/her)
Civic Science Fellow
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
B.S., University of California, Santa Barbara
Erin completed her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biopsychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. During her graduate studies, she co-created the Community-Engaged STEM graduate certificate program at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a Civic Science Fellow at the Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at the University of California, Irvine where she is working to strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships between UCI researchers and the local community
Denise Croote, Ph.D.
Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
B.S., Brown University
Denise earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology from Brown University and completed her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Nash Family Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai, where she focuses her efforts on K-12 science education and outreach. She directs MiNDS (Mentoring in Neuroscience Discovery at Sinai), the Friedman Brain Institute’s outreach organization, and teaches a high school biomedical science enrichment course through Mount Sinai’s Center for Excellence in Youth Education.
Jacinda Taggett, B.S.
B.S., University of California, Davis
Jacinda Taggett (they/them) is a Cognitive Neuroscience PhD Student at the University of California, Los Angeles. Research interests for Jacinda surround human memory, and how it can be improved or worsened via various factors such as neurotransmitter release, sleep, and/or neurological disease.
As for long-term goals, Jacinda hopes to pursue neuroscience, education, or an intersection of the two in order to continue not only their academic career, but also hopefully encourage other students to pursue a similar path.
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