Kathryn Przybysz
PhD Candidate in Behavioral Neuroscience
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Buffalo State College, and am currently a PhD candidate in Behavioral Neuroscience studying the long-term effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on social behavior and neurophysiology. I was the first person in my family to complete a Bachelor’s degree and am the first to pursue a graduate degree. I am also the only one in my family involved in academic life in a STEM field, which has provided its own unique challenges. All of these areas have each provided their own obstacles to me as a first-generation individual, and while difficult, I think these experiences have been immensely valuable to me. Especially now as I near the end of my PhD, I can see how navigating undergraduate, graduate school, and academia by building my own professional network to guide me has been critical to my development as a scientist and has given me the confidence to believe in my own success. Because of my experiences, I now have a passion for mentorship and a desire to help those who need to build a support network and provide guidance to those navigating their own higher education journey.
