

UNC-EPIC
UNC EDUCATION PROGRAM OF INTELLIGENCE AND CONNECTOMICS
Welcome to Our Summer Camp
Join us for an immersive summer camp designed to provide hands-on experience and expert mentorship in neuroscience data analysis! Led by top researchers in the field, this program introduces participants to advanced techniques in brain imaging, data processing, and connectome visualization. You'll apply these skills to real-world challenges in neuroscience and substance use research. Applications for 2025 are now open! For questions or inquiries, please contact us at Malcolm_Bailey@med.unc.edu.
Who Should Apply
This program is ideal for undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs who are eager to advance their expertise in neuroscience data analysis. Students who apply to our summer camp must be
- In good academic standing at their college or university
- Have completed some data structures and computer programming courses
- Available full-time during the program
- Prior research experience, demonstrated strong programming capability or mathematical capability is a plus
Students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM, including those from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) or Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), are strongly encouraged to apply.
Financial Support Available
We are committed to making our Network Data Analysis and Neuroscience Summer Camp accessible to all passionate individuals. To this end, we offer financial aid for eligible participants.​
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Assistance is available to cover part of the cost of participation for those demonstrating financial need or outstanding merit. Indicate your interest in your application.
Deadline
Priority: April 15th, 2025 11:59 PM EST
Regular: May 1st, 2025 11:59 PM EST
Dates and Information
Start: June 2nd, 2025
End: June 6th, 2025
Location: TBD
Apply Now for Summer 2025
Please utilize the following link or QR code to complete your application now!
Link to application: https://forms.gle/Yd7hmVjrhxysaum19

Prior Participants

Jonathan Alcineus
Florida State University
I am a rising fourth-year student at Florida State University studying Statistics and Computer Science. I have always been passionate about social good and have recently been incorporating technology into my passion. I have done over two years' worth of programming courses to understand data analysis and object-oriented programming better. Although I have experience with statistics and programming, neuroscience is relatively unfamiliar. However, I've been interested in how to help people with mental illness through technology. I am excited to learn more about neuroscience and explore it through statistics and computing. 

Hope Peterson-Sockwell
UNC
Hope Peterson-Sockwell (she/her) completed her BA in Psychology, MS in Biomedical Sciences, and PhD in Neuroscience at Wake Forest University. Working under the mentorship of Dr. Paul Laurienti, her graduate work involved investigating brain network changes observed in heavy alcohol consumers following a period of brief abstinence, in conjunction with autonomic function and experience ratings, with particular focus on the role of the default mode network. Now a postdoctoral fellow at UNC working with Dr. Jessica Cohen, Hope is investigating the potential role of the default mode network in attention lapses in children with ADHD, using dynamic network analyses.

Sakhawat Hossan
UNC Greensboro
My name is Sakhawat Hossan, and I am a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where I am deeply engaged in research focusing on Machine Learning, particularly in Large Language Models and Social Network Analysis. I bring nine years of extensive experience in software design, development, and integration, specializing in PHP, Python, and JavaScript. Throughout my career, I have served as a Senior Software Programmer and Research Assistant, contributing significantly to projects and innovations in the field.

Yongjun Lee
University of Texas at Arlington
Hi, my name is Yongjun, and I’m from Texas. I’m a rising junior next semester and thrilled to have a great opportunity at UNC EPIC. I was originally born in South Korea and currently live in Texas. I study computer science and I'm excited to make new friends and work together in this camp. I’ve conducted research using mmWave at the University of Texas at Arlington, and I have a strong interest in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Outside of academics, I have enjoyed playing soccer and golf since high school. Additionally, I play the flute and bassoon.

Lina Lee
Virginia Tech
I came from South Korea, and I am a Ph.D. in The Department of Statistics in Virginia Tech. I am doing my research in Deep Learning in prediction of failure status and remaining lifetime of GPU. Recently, I have been interested in applying deep learning in brain research. I enjoy my time reading book, hiking, or watching shows with my fiancé.

Naveen Prabhu
UNC
Hey! I’m Naveen, a UNC student majoring in Computer Science and Psychology. I was born in San Jose, CA, but have been raised in Cary, North Carolina. Outside of school, I’m a competitive chess player, and also like playing violin, table tennis, and video games in my free time. I’m looking forward to the camp, nice to meet everyone!

Monica Lyons
UNC
Monica Lyons (she/her) is a 2nd-year graduate student in the Developmental Psychology PhD Program in Jessica Cohen’s lab within the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a 4th year MD/PhD student in the UNC MD/PhD Program. Monica graduated from Tufts University in 2018 with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Biology, with a minor in Computer Science. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant in the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston using diffusion MRI to investigate neural markers of psychosis. She is currently interested in how applications of neuroimaging methods like graph theory can help us better understand psychopathology, particularly in pediatric populations. She enjoys running, biking, and playing with her cat Kiki.

Giovanni Mahoney
Florida State University
Giovanni Mahoney holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Psychology from Florida State University, where he is pursuing graduate coursework in psychology as a post-baccalaureate student. Broadly, Giovanni's research interests lie in parsing out the psychobiological factors that mediate the relationship between personality and affectivity. Currently, at UNC Chapel Hill, he is investigating how such factors contribute to abnormalities in the affective responses of individuals with antisocial personality disorder. Giovanni utilizes an interdisciplinary approach in his investigation of psychological phenomena, drawing from years of research experience spanning the fields of physics, biomathematics, and psychology. His plans involve further advancing his research and applying to competitive graduate programs in psychology.

Kyle Chan
UNC
Kyle is an undergraduate at UNC studying biostatistics with a focus on neuroscience applications. Kyle is particularly interested in research on neurodegenerative diseases, and currently works under Dr. Hongtu Zhu’s lab. In his free time, Kyle enjoy watching C-dramas and playing music.

Mingcheng Hu
UNC
Hello, I'm Mingcheng Hu, a first-year master's student majoring in Biostatistics. Prior to pursuing my master's degree, I obtained dual degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as Data Science. In my free time, I enjoy touring warships from the Second World War in various US cities, and I also have a passion for studying Japanese. Participating in the UNC-EPIC Summer Camp presents me with an exceptional opportunity to delve into real-world medical data analysis, including but not limited to EEG and graph convolution networks. I'm truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to a fulfilling and enjoyable week at the camp!

Ticiana Ward
Georgia State University
Hello, my name is Ticiana, but I usually go by Tici. I am thrilled to be participating in the upcoming Neuroscience Data Analysis Summer Camp. I have a strong passion for coding, and I’m ready to finally apply it to real-life research.
I recently completed the second year of my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Georgia State University and have been particularly interested in exploring the intersection of computer science and neuroscience.
During this camp, I am excited to delve into topics such as Python programming for brain data analysis and machine learning applications in connectomics. I look forward to collaborating with fellow participants and learning from distinguished mentors.
Outside of academics, I enjoy drawing, reading, and watching various shows, movies, and anime. I can't wait to meet everyone!

Hyoshin Kim
North Carolina State University
Hi everyone, I'm Hyoshin, a 5th year Ph.D. student in Statistics at North Carolina State University. I've started working with neuroimaging data as part of the data analysis for my thesis. I'm excited to learn more about the advanced techniques in neuroscience during the summer camp. I look forward to connecting with everyone. Thank you! 

Sai Ananya Channamsetti
UNC
Sai Ananya Channamsetti (Sai Ananya) is a rising second-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. She intends to major in Computer Science and minor in Biology, aspiring to pursue Bioinformatics in future educational and career endeavors. Through the UNC-EPIC Summer Camp, Sai Ananya hopes to learn more about her prospective field of study through collaborating with peers and mentors, engaging in practical hands-on experiences, and gaining more knowledge about current research in the field. In her free time, Sai Ananya likes to sing, listen to music, dance, and spend time outdoors.

Chenwei Fang
North Carolina State University
Hello guys! My name is Chenwei Fang. I come from Nanjing, China. I am now a senior student majoring in Statistics at North Carolina State University. I love playing sports and listening to music during my free time. I hope we can have a great time during the summer camp!

Mostafa Abdelmegeed
UNC Greensboro
My name is Mostafa Abdelmegeed, my passion has always been marrying technology to healthcare, that's why I did my bachelor degree in Biomedical Engineering, and now doing my Master's Degree in Computer Science at UNCG, focusing on Brain Connectome in my Thesis.

Min Sung Seo
UNC
I am Min Sung Seo, a rising 5th year PhD student in the cognitive psychology program, working with Dr. Kelly S Giovanello. Throughout my graduate studies, I have been investigating the effects of aging on various aspects of episodic memory, using both behavioral and neuroimaging methods. I look forward to working with everyone during the camp.

Varun Indugula
UNC
My name is Varun Indugula. I just recently graduated from UNC Chapel Hill this May with degrees in neuroscience and chemistry. I have a passion for both the analytical and clinical aspects of Neuroscience and have conducted research in neuropsychiatrics, neurogenetics, and neuroendocrinology. I'm currently taking a gap year while applying to medical schools and planning on traveling with friends and family as well. In my free time, you can find me going on runs with my dog, binge-watching horror movies, and exploring the various fields and aspects of science and medicine in new and interesting ways. I hope to parlay my love of neuroscience into connectomics research and my passion for clinical medicine, and I look forward to meeting and learning alongside everyone at the camp!

Mohammadreza Khodaei
Wake Forest University
I am a PhD student at the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering, focusing on the study of functional brain networks. During my PhD program, I am engaged in two primary research projects: developing a novel mathematical model for comparing functional brain networks and enhancing hidden semi-Markov (HSMM) models for analyzing dynamic functional connectivity. Additionally, I have conducted several studies on brain structural networks using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data.

Kathryn Garrisi
UNC
Kathryn Garrisi (she/her) is a dual PhD student in the Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology PhD Programs in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, studying neurodevelopmental mechanisms of both biologically embedded risk for psychopathology, as well as biomarkers and behavioral outcomes of psychopathology development. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Creative Writing from Cornell University in 2019. After graduation, she worked as a Clinical Research Assistant at the Gaab Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and then as the Data Analyst in Dr. Margaret Sheridan’s Child Imaging Research on Cognition and Life Experiences Lab at UNC Chapel Hill. As a PhD student, Kathryn is also working with Dr. Jessica Cohen to learn how brain network development throughout childhood and adolescence relates to the emergence of psychopathology in clinical populations, and how this could inform future interventions.

Yifei Zhang
UNC
My name is Yifei Zhang, and I am a second-year Master’s student in Statistics and Operations Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Liverpool in 2019. My primary research interests lie in the application of machine learning mod- els in neuroimaging datasets. Currently, I am working on optimizing machine learning models to improve the accuracy of chronic back pain prediction.

Yuexin Zhang
UNC
Hi! My name is Yuexin, and I'm a first-year Master's student in the STOR department. My research interests lie in applying and developing advanced methods from causality and statistical learning to inform human well-being. In particular, I am interested in exploring dimensionality reduction and feature extraction from high-dimensional data; as well as understanding how brain development in young people interacts with cognitive and behavioral functions. The short course during the Spring semester deepened my understanding of the brain imaging data, from the acquisition process to the characteristics of different types of brain connectome. It helped establish an initial framework to guide downstream analysis. I am excited about further enhancing my practical skills through hands-on experience at the EPIC summer camp.