Outstanding Seniors in the College of Science: Heather Jensen

This spring, each department in the University of Arizona's College of Science nominated an outstanding senior who went above and beyond during their time as a Wildcat. We are pleased to share their stories as they reflect on their time at UArizona. Our next Outstanding Senior is Heather Jensen in the Department of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. 

Heather Jensen

Department: Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
 

College of Science: Why did you choose your area of study? 

Jensen: I was actually very much a hater of the sciences in elementary and middle school, but in high school I ended up taking a psychology course that both piqued my interest and made me feel like pursuing science was possible for me. I landed in neuroscience over psychology because I was really enthralled by the possibilities inherent in a biologically-grounded but people-oriented field.
 

COS: Tell us about a class or research project you really enjoyed.

Jensen: Right now I am completing my senior thesis in Dr. Jean-Marc Fellous’ Computational and Experimental Neuroscience Laboratory. I’m working on understanding changes in spatial navigation strategies using interactive neurorobotics in a rodent model. One of the fun facts about this lab is that we have the largest rodent maze in the world! I also really enjoyed my time as a research assistant in Dr. Jessica Andrews-Hanna’s Neuroscience of Emotion and Thought lab.
 

COS: What is one specific memory from your time at UA that you'll cherish forever? 

Jensen: I studied abroad in Amman, Jordan, with a group from UA, and we were lucky enough to go on a few sporadic trips around the area. One of these trips was to Wadi Rum, a desert valley near Petra. At night, a group of us walked out away from the campfire and laid down in the sand to look up at the stars. Maybe my city girl is showing, but I’ll never forget that night—how bright all the stars were, how clearly you could see the Milky Way, and how lovely it was to rest for a minute, surrounded by friends, and acknowledge how big the world was around us.
 

COS: What is next for you after graduation? 

Jensen: I will be pursuing my PhD in Social and Affective Neuroscience at UCLA.