The Power of Pivoting: How Melody Schwenk ’15 Turned Curiosity Into Career Momentum

In a career landscape that’s constantly evolving, the most valuable skill may be the ability to adapt. Melody Schwenk ’15 has done exactly that — repeatedly. From aspiring veterinarian to STEM student, from clinical psychology to deaf education and educational neuroscience, her path has been anything but linear. Along the way, she’s embraced uncertainty, followed her curiosity and learned that changing direction isn’t failure — it’s preparation.

That mindset took shape at the State University of New York at Stony Brook when Schwenk arrived, drawn by the institution’s reputation as a leading STEM university. What started as a traditional pre-medicine trajectory soon transformed through hands-on research experiences that ignited her interest in the creative, problem-solving side of science. As a Seawolf, she learned that discovery isn’t a straight line, and that asking questions when you fail can matter more than getting the answers right the first time.

Now preparing to defend her dissertation and earn her doctorate, Schwenk credits Stony Brook with helping her discover her love of research and the resiliency to keep seeking answers, along with what’s possible when you say yes to opportunities.

Why did you choose Stony Brook? What drew you to become a Seawolf?

I grew up in Queens, and even when I was in high school, Stony Brook stood out as the STEM powerhouse for students from Long Island, Queens and the greater New York City area. I initially explored other paths, first NYU and then Queens College, but I ultimately found my way to Stony Brook because it offered exactly what I was looking for: a place where science and discovery were part of the culture. Like many students, I arrived thinking I would go to medical school, but once I started working in research labs, everything changed. I realized I was more drawn to asking questions and uncovering the answers for myself than practicing medicine. Soon after, I shifted to clinical psychology and a whole new world opened up for me.

What was it about research that piqued your interest?

What drew me to research was the combination of clarity and possibility. I love that research starts with a very clear question, but there are countless ways to explore it, and each path can reveal something different. Early on, I worked with a postdoctoral researcher who was studying PTSD in veterans using fMRI imaging and comparing the outcomes between veterans who did mindfulness therapy and those who didn’t. I was fascinated by how all the variables interacted and how the results told a story about the way people think, heal and function. 

That experience completely changed how I viewed research and what it could be. Once I had the chance to engage in it directly, I realized how much I loved the process of discovery.

Did you have any favorite professors?

I took social psychology and absolutely loved my professor. On the first day of class she said, “If you call me ‘Mrs.’ I won’t respond. I have a PhD. You will call me doctor.” It was the first time I’d seen a woman claim her authority so unapologetically, and it left a real impression on me. I was in awe of the way she owned the room.

I also loved Matthew Lerner, PhD. I participated so much in his class that he eventually had to tell me to stop so the other students could have a chance. I just loved it that much.

While at Stony Brook, you survived a notoriously difficult class. What was that experience like?

Oh, man. BIO 203 is legendary. If you ask anyone from that era, they’ll tell you it was the biggest challenge of their life. People would say, “I got a 30 on the test — thank goodness,” because it would curve to a B. It was one of those classes that felt impossibly hard, and no one could really pinpoint why. For me it was especially challenging because I’m deaf. I mostly relied on my hearing aids, slides and memorization. I did fine that way, but it was tough.

This was the class that made me realize medical school wasn’t the path for me, but it did highlight something I loved — asking questions and exploring those ideas through research. That class may have crushed a lot of souls, but instead of discouraging me, it helped me gain clarity about the direction I truly wanted to take.

Did being deaf impact your experience at Stony Brook?

I mostly handled it on my own. I grew up in the mainstream school system in New York City where the mindset at the time was, if you were already doing well, you didn’t need help. That said, I did very well at Stony Brook. In smaller classes, professors were always accommodating if I asked to sit in the front. 

In what ways did Stony Brook — and your life experiences — influence the direction of your research and graduate studies?

Looking back, I can see how much Stony Brook shaped the way I approached my career. While I wasn’t aware of it at the time, the environment there pushed me to think critically about where I could make the most impact and how. I remember taking a cancer biology course taught by a professor who had cancer herself, and it stuck with me. Stony Brook taught me to ask questions, so I asked myself how I could take my own personal experiences and make a real impact. If I’m deaf, why wouldn’t I study deafness and focus my research in that direction?

My path before, during and after Stony Brook has never been a straight line. I initially considered pre-vet and pre-med before realizing those paths didn’t suit me. I was initially terrified of failing, but studying science helped me develop a “try and fail” mentality. Failure is just part of the process. When it happens, you revise and try again — so that’s what I did until I found my deep interest in research and understanding people.

That flexibility helped me in a big way when I pursued my master’s in clinical psychology at Columbia University. Knowing how competitive PhD programs are, I started planning for alternative paths early. When I got rejected from the clinical psychology programs I applied to, instead of panicking, I considered what other options were available that interested me. Instead of seeing this as an end, I pivoted and thought of something else I loved — teaching.

Before I finished my master’s at Columbia, I had already applied for a second master’s degree in deaf education at Hunter College. While at Stony Brook, I loved being a teaching assistant and wanted to continue helping people. I continued to see opportunities, not endings, and I didn’t give up. Stony Brook taught me that.

You’re now preparing to defend your dissertation for your PhD. What is your research focused on?

My research at Gallaudet University focuses on spatial cognition — how people understand and navigate the world around them — and how we assess these skills in deaf versus hearing individuals. Many assessments are assumed to be “language-free,” but they’re not, since English is a second language for many deaf people. That can affect how their abilities are measured and influence the results.

I studied navigation skills, not in the GPS sense, but as a broader umbrella skill made up of abilities like mental visualization. For example, if you’re reorganizing a room, are you able to picture the layout in your mind, or do you need to sketch it out because it’s hard to visualize in your mind? These kinds of skills fall under the scope of spatial cognition.

I wanted to understand how these skills differ in hearing versus non-hearing individuals. Some of my early assumptions didn’t hold up — including what I expected to see on the Block Design IQ test, which is considered the gold standard for “language-free testing.” My hypothesis about early language learning was also incorrect, which pushed me to consider the root cause.

The answer, I discovered, was completely unexpected and incredibly exciting. I discovered that the brain reorganizes itself. While deaf and hearing individuals may perform a task in a similar way, the neural pathways supporting that learning can be very different. 

What comes next for you and your research?

I’m especially interested in neuroplasticity — how the brain adapts to the environment over time. That has huge implications, not just for education, but for understanding diseases like Alzheimer’s.

I explain it this way. If your grandmother gets lost going to the grocery store and she calls and can’t tell you where she is, what happened first? Did she forget the word for grocery store or did she forget the place? Understanding how language, space and memory interact could help us answer questions like that.

Right now I’m exploring opportunities with two companies that align with my interests in educational neuroscience and early development. No matter where I end up, I want to keep asking meaningful questions and contribute research that supports diverse communities.

What advice would you give to students who feel unsure about their own paths?

Don’t lock yourself into one endpoint. Be open to different experiences. Be open to seeing what comes next. Ask questions and go find the answers.

I won’t lie, I failed BIO 101 before I even came to Stony Brook and thought my career in science was over. It wasn’t. I went on to become the first person to earn both the National Institutes of Health Award and the National Academy Fellowship at the same time. My journey here looks messy, and I’ve changed paths so many times, yet I’ve still been able to do meaningful work.

Even now, I don’t have a clear endpoint. I like so many different things and the great part about that is I can blend all those interests into one bigger idea. I know many people who ended up not knowing what to do with their lives now because they didn’t get into medical school or get the residency they wanted. There are so many paths out there, and being open to whatever life gives you is really the best way forward. Flexibility is a strength, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Are there any more degrees in your future?

My Gallaudet adviser made me pinky promise I wouldn’t pursue any more degrees. We agreed Harvard Law would be the only exception — strictly because I love Legally Blonde. Other than that, I’m banned.

-Kristina Brandt