Amanda Duffy is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and for the past one-and-a-half years, she has been enthusiastically serving as a FirstGen Ahead coach for a student who dreams of becoming a neurologist.
In her post-doc role, she’s a member of the BrainGate interdisciplinary team, which consists of a collaborative group of scientists from MGH, Brown University, Case Western University, and Stanford University. Their goals have been centered around developing intracortical brain-computer interface technologies to restore communication and mobility to individuals who have lost these functions either due to brain damage, spinal cord injury, or neurological disease.
Amazingly, Amanda’s interest in neuroscience began before she even knew what “neuroscience” actually meant, thanks to her Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist neighbor, Dr. David Hubel. When Amanda was just three years old, Dr. Hubel began teaching her the wonders of the brain, specifically the workings of the visual system. He emphasized the inter-relatedness between biology, physics, and the importance of asking scientific questions from different angles and perspectives. Amanda adored her mentor, Dr. Hubel. She says, “He always strove to inspire young people to be their best selves and to pursue challenges no matter what. Dr. Hubel was the kind of person who constantly found joy, fascination, and passion in all aspects of life. I try to carry this sense of worldly appreciation and utter and pure curiosity in my heart every day.”
Amanda feels incredibly fortunate to have had an influential mentor like Dr. Hubel and others who have guided her in school, work, and life. It is because of having benefited greatly from devoted mentors and relationships that she has been able to pursue her dreams in neurorehabilitation. Amanda believes everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Her approach to coaching through FirstGen Ahead has evolved over the past year-and-a-half from setting specific, concrete academic goals to longer-term planning that will enable her student to achieve her dreams. Amanda has provided guidance and support on many levels, including social, societal, academic, and occupational. The experience of coaching thus far through FirstGen Ahead “has been incredible,” says Amanda. She continued, “I know that I have learned as much from my student (if not more!) as she has learned from me.”
