SBU Senior Gains Valuable Insight in SBU Research Lab Experience

Sohini Alim — the URECA researcher of the month for February — is a senior graduating summa cum laude (January 2025) who majored in biology with a specialization in neuroscience. She recently completed an honors thesis focusing on zebrafish larval neurogenesis. 

Alim has been conducting research since September 2022 under the mentorship of Howard Sirotkin, an associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, and she was one of 10 students to receive a 2024 URECA Biology Alumni Research (U-BAR) Award to support her participation in immersive summer research.  

At the 2024 Summer Symposium, Alim presented a poster titled “Investigating the Role of GluN2B in Forebrain Neurogenesis,” which she also presented at a Chemical Biology Training Program event last fall.

When it comes to giving advice on pursuing research, she says, “Persistence is important, in many things. If you don’t get a reply back to your first email, keep emailing until you’re finding something that’s good for you. Don’t worry if it takes you longer than someone else. Everyone has their own path.”

On campus, Alim has served as a teaching assistant and as a critical care medical scribe at Stony Brook University Hospital. She has also held the positions of treasurer for Neuroscience Axis, public relations and outreach chair of Wolfiethon for the B+ Foundation for Child Cancer, and vice president of recruitment and public relations for Alpha Sigma Alpha. She was also involved with affiliated Greek Life honors societies (Alpha Sigma Alpha Hermes Society, Order of the Omega) and won a Greek Life “Outstanding Scholarship” award in Spring 2023.

In Summer and Fall 2024, Alim submitted a Fulbright Scholarship application and was recently notified that she had advanced to the semi-finalist stage. Following a gap year, Alim plans to attend medical school.

Read the full interview with URECA Director Karen Kernan.