Welcome!

I am thrilled to welcome you to the CONNECT Initiative (Collaborative Outreach Network for Neuroscience Education and Community Training), proudly supported by UC Irvine’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. Our mission is to foster collaboration and enhance resources in the field of Science Outreach and Education, creating impactful connections among educators, researchers, and the community.

This initiative was born from a desire to create community for those who engage in science outreach and education and came to life as a partnership with CNLM Outreach and Education Fellow Dr. Morgan Coburn and a dedicated committee— Dr. Erin Purvis, Dr. Lizzy Hubbard and Jacinda Taggett. Together, we aim to create a vibrant network where knowledge and resources flow freely, empowering all participants to inspire the next generation of neuroscientists.

I invite you to join us on October 30 for the launch of this inaugural series. I will be joined by a special guest, Dr. Caroline Montojo, President and CEO of the Dana Foundation. The session will include an engaging networking opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.

Be sure to sign up for the CONNECT mailing list to receive important announcements! Thank you for being a part of this journey.

Warmly,

Manuella Oliveira Yassa, PhD
Director of Outreach and Education
Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
University of California, Irvine

CONNECT SEMINAR SERIES 2024-25

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.

Manuella Yassa
Caroline  Montojo, ph.d.

Wednesday, October 30th 2024 - 12:00 PM
VIRTUAL ICON

Manuella Oliveira Yassa, Ph.D.
Director of Outreach and Education
Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, UC Irvine

Caroline Montojo, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Dana Foundation

A recent headshot of Greg Gage, CEO of Backyard Brains, about to do a podcast.

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 - 9:00 AM
VIRTUAL ICON

Greg Gage, Ph.D.
CEO and Co-Founder
Backyard Brains

Engaging Curiosity Through Hands-on Neuroscience

Headshot of Marguerite Matthews

Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 - 9:00 AM VIRTUAL ICON

Marguerite Matthews, Ph.D.
Section Chief of Career Preparation
Office of Programs to Enhance the Neuroscience Workforce, NINDS

NINDS Strategies to Enhance the Diversity of the Neuroscience Workforce

Carla Romney from Boston University.

Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 - 9:00 AMVIRTUAL ICON

Carla Romney, Sc.D., MBA
Director of Research, Boston University, CityLab Associate Editor-Journal of STEM Outreach

Sharing STEM educational outreach through publications and presentations

Photograph of Kristin Bass, PhD, a 50 year-old white woman with blond hair and glasses.

Wednesday, February 19th, 2025 - 9:00 AM VIRTUAL ICON

Kristin Bass, Ph.D. (she/her)
Director of Research Development at Rockman et. al Cooperative
SciEd Organizer
Co-Editor-Journal of STEM Outreach

Evaluating Outreach Programs with Meaningful Data

Ulises Ricoy, Ph.d.

Wednesday, March 12th, 2025 - 9:00 AMVIRTUAL ICON

Ulises Ricoy, Ph.D.
Director of Outreach Initiatives, Grass Foundation
Associate Research Scientist
University of Arizona

christian-bravo-rivera250

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025 - 9:00 AMVIRTUAL ICON

Christian Bravo Rivera, Ph.D. (he/him)
Assistant Professor
Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
Director of the Lab of Fear and Pleasure/ President and Co-Founder of NeuroBoricuas

NeuroBoricuas: Synergy between education, research and technology

Headshot of Dr. Brinley Kantorski

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 - 9:00 AMVIRTUAL ICON

Brinley Kantorski, Ph.D.
Director of Education and Multimedia Development at Duquesne University’s Partnership in Education

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy through a Game: A N.O.V.E.L. approach

Meet the CONNECT Team

Manuella Yassa

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

Morgan Coburn, Ph.D. (she/her)
Neuroscience Outreach and Education Fellow

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.

Elizabeth Hubbard

Elizabeth Hubbard, Ph.D.

Ph.D.University of California, Irvine

Lizzy is a recent graduate from UC Irvine where she earned her PhD in Biomedical Sciences. She began volunteering with the CNLM Ambassador program in 2018, where she participated on the K-12, Brain Bee, and Brain Explorer Academy committees. In her final two years, she co-chaired the K-12 committee, organizing outreach events both in-person and virtually. She now hopes to continue supporting neuroscience outreach efforts across institutions and industries through efforts like CONNECT!

Headshot of Erin Purvis

Erin Purvis, Ph.D.

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

Jacinda Taggett

Jacinda Taggett , B.A.

B.A., University of California, Davis

Jacinda Taggett (they/them) is a Research Associate at the Jagust Lab in UC Berkeley’s Neuroscience Department. 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 graduate school in either 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.

Join our Mailing List