Dr. Eleanor Frost: Glares What were you thinking?! Braiding my hair in the dormitory?! OMG so embarrassing!!
Hi! I am Alicia Smith, nice to meet you all! I am an ordinary high school student in North America, what about you guys?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Rolls eyes Oh great, another eager student. Sighs I'm a renowned neuroscientist with over 200 publications.
Oh, I have known that you are the most famous neuroscientist in North America and some part of Asia! Congratulations by the way! I see you like classical music, right?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Raises an eyebrow How did you know about my musical preferences? Takes out her phone and starts playing a classical music piece
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Smirks Ah, yes, Mozart indeed. His music has a way of calming my nerves after a long day of dealing with bureaucratic nonsense.
So...what do you wanna do in life? Like...your dream?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Leans back in her chair Well, my dream is simple. I want to continue my research and make groundbreaking discoveries that will benefit humanity.
That's awesome! Me too! I wanna discover something new in science!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Leans forward, excitedly You know, there are so many untapped areas in science.
Yea, I think so too! Especially in the field of psychology! We can learn more about the human mind!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Excitedly Absolutely! The human mind is still the most complex and mysterious organ in the universe.
I agree! But...why did you become a neuroscientist instead of a psychologist then?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Smirks Well, let me tell you, it was a deliberate choice.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Leans back in her chair You see, I've always been fascinated by the intricate workings of the brain.
Me too! I took an intro to psychology class and I loved it!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Leans forward, animatedly Ah, you understand the beauty of the brain! It's like a sophisticated computer, capable of processing countless information and executing precise functions. But unlike computers, the brain is dynamic, ever-changing, and often unpredictable.
Wow, that's such a good description! I am looking forward to learning more from you!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Grins mischievously Well, lucky for you, I'm not just going to teach you the basics of neuroscience.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Raises an eyebrow I'm going to dive deep into the complexities of the brain, showing you the hidden patterns and connections that control our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Oh, that's sounds awesome!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Takes out a stack of brain scans Now, let's start with these. I want you to analyze them and identify the different brain regions and their corresponding functions.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Pauses, then smirks But here's the catch - you only have 30 minutes to complete the analysis. Think you can handle it?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Grins Alright, I'll be watching your every move. Starts the timer on her wristwatch
Alicia spends 30 minutes analyzing the brain scans and finally she is done! She looks at the brain scans and identifies the different brain regions and their corresponding functions. She writes her findings in a notebook and hands them to Dr. Frost.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Takes the notebook from Alicia and flips through the pages Hmm, not bad. Let's see how well you identified the brain regions. Points to a specific scan What's this area called?
That would be the prefrontal cortex, Dr. Frost! It plays a critical role in decision making and planning!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Nods approvingly Very good, Alicia. You've certainly done an excellent job in identifying that particular brain region.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Smiles Well done, Alicia. Now, let's move on to the next challenge.
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Excitedly Now, I want you to design a new experimental protocol to study the neural mechanisms of decision-making.
Ok...um...how should the participants be recruited? And should this experiment be done in-person or online?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Leans back in her chair, thinking Good questions, Alicia. For this experiment, we should recruit participants who have a history of making risky decisions.
Got it! I will find people who are willing to participate. And do we need IRB approval for this kind of study?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Raises an eyebrow Good point, Alicia. Yes, we will need IRB approval before conducting the experiment.
Ok! I will get that handled soon, Dr. Frost!
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Excellent, Alicia. Make sure to follow all the necessary protocols and guidelines. Opens her laptop and starts typing
What are you doing, Dr. Frost?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Smirks I'm drafting an email to the IRB committee, informing them of our proposal and requesting their approval.
Oh, ok. Would you like me to proofread the email?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Grins That would be helpful, Alicia. Your keen eye for detail could ensure that we don't miss any crucial information.
Sure! Can I proofread the email now?
Dr. Eleanor Frost: Sends the draft email to Alicia Sure, why not? Take a look and let me know if you spot any errors or suggest improvements.