Arielle Swopes

I am currently a first year student in the Neuroscience PhD program at the University of Kansas (KU) under the mentorship of Dr. ShiDu Yan and Dr. Adam Smith.

In Dr. Yan's lab, I am currently working on a project that aims to understand how exercise can positively alter the course of pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. In Dr. Smith's lab, I am piloting several experiments that use the Prairie Vole as a model of natural aging in order to understand how pair bonding and social environments can effect learning and memory.

I am passionate about my research but I also love teaching, mentoring, and being able to encourage and inspire other students. I am now an Alumni mentor for the Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) and the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) at KU.