Carla
Escobar-Tomlienovich
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: Quantitative Biology and Hispanic Literature and Cultures, with a minor in Neuroscience
Research Interest: Neurodevelopment; machine learning
“Excelling in my classes has always been really important to me and CSS does a fantastic job in fostering a community that really emphasizes this. From providing us with tutors to having connections with faculty on campus, being in CSS has really changed my undergraduate academic career.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE CSS PROGRAM?
I was drawn to CSS’s focus on academic achievement. Excelling in my classes has always been really important to me and CSS does a fantastic job in fostering a community that really emphasizes this. From providing us with tutors to having connections with faculty on campus, being in CSS has really changed my undergraduate academic career.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CSS EXPERIENCE SO FAR?
Making connections with the staff and students! Being able to talk to the staff about my specific research goals and seeing what they recommend has been really helpful to me, especially since no one in my family has any experience with the research or medical fields. I have also loved getting to know other students, especially when we get to talk classes together. I found that I love to study with others and teach each other the information, and it’s even better when you get to do this with people for 4 years!
HOW HAS CSS SHAPED YOUR CAREER GOALS?
CSS has shown me that careers in science don’t just have to be linear – there isn’t a “formula” you have to follow. They have helped me pursue my interests while still staying on track with my academics and my ultimate career goals.
WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY RESEARCH INTEREST?
Currently I am working in the Stein Lab at UNC. We are working on macrocephaly in and after neurodevelopment, and especially how this can lead to autism. Currently, I am helping with machine-learning on a program that would computationally count the number of cells in brains. These brains are imaged by taking out the lipids in the brain, allowing researchers to keep them intact and still visualize the individual cells.
Research Publications