THE MENTALLY MINDED TEAM

In my photo, I am light-skinned, my hair is long and brown, my eyes are brown, and I am wearing a po

ELISA GONÇALVES DE ANDRADE

Hi, there! My name is Elisa Gonçalves de Andrade (she/her/hers). I am a neuroscientist in training and a mental health enthusiast. I love talking about science and, for the longest time, have been quick to start conversations about mental health. At some point, I decided to unite the two and the effect was surprisingly reassuring. Mentally Minded for me is an attempt to help people find the same solace in science. Beyond Mentally Minded, you can find me running around to coordinate my research assistant and lab manager roles at the University of Victoria (UVic). Outside school, I am always trying (or struggling) to keep healthy habits. Most importantly though, I am a very proud cat parent.

Land acknowledgment: I acknowledge with respect that I live, work, and play on the territory of the Lekwungen peoples and that the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples have relationships to this land.

Alumni

THE MENTALLY MINDED ALUMNI

In my photo, I am featured against a peach background, I am light-skinned, my hair is medium length, brown and curly, my eyes are brown, and I am wearing a dark green shirt with a gray blazer on top.

Dr. Stoica

Neuroscience Postdoctoral Fellow,
University of Arizona, USA

Greetings! My name is Teodora Stoica (she/her/hers). For the past decade, I have immersed myself in the study of the brain, and more specifically, the fascinating process by which the 3 lb pink slab of tissue inside our skulls creates both harmony and discord in our emotional lives. I received my PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Louisville in Kentucky in May 2021, where I investigated the neural processes underlying emotional intelligence. I currently reside in Tucson, where I am a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Arizona, studying why our aging brain gives rise to a more positive outlook on life. Throughout my graduate training, I have been passionate about science communication and outreach, and hope Mentally Minded serves as a place of respite that comes from science-backed knowledge about mental health. If I am not looking at brain data, you can find me eating, cooking, running, hiking, playing cello or trying very hard to grow tomatoes in a desert climate.

Land acknowledgment: I reside on the indigenous lands of the unseated Yaqui and O'odham tribes who lived here for many generations.

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