Ira Puranik

Major & Minor
Major: Neuroscience & Cognitive Science
Minor: ISTA & Population Health Data Science

Hometown
Phoenix, AZ

How’d you choose your major/minor?
In high school, I interned at Grand Canyon University’s cadaver lab, where I had the opportunity to dissect cadavers and study their brains. That experience sparked my fascination with the complexities of the brain and inspired me to pursue a major in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. Before entering college, I also took a course in computational neuroscience, which showed me how exciting it can be to combine data with neuroscience. This motivated me to pursue another major in Statistics and Data Science. I chose my minors to further strengthen my computational skills and expand my background in information and data science.

What’s your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus is the Slot Canyon Café in ENR2. It’s a comfortable place to study with plenty of space and good views of the building. I also like that I can grab food or coffee while I’m there, which makes it really convenient. I’ve spent a lot of time there hanging out with friends between classes, and it’s one of the places on campus where I feel the most relaxed. Even when I’m studying alone, it’s a nice spot to get work done without feeling too isolated.

What has been the highlight of your college career thus far?
The highlight of my college experience so far has been studying abroad in Paris and Barcelona during Summer 2023. Living in these cities pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to see life from a completely new perspective. I loved wandering through the streets, trying new foods, and exploring the history and architecture that make each city so unique. Most of all, I cherished the friendships I built during that summer, and those connections lasted well beyond the trip. The experience not only taught me so much about the world but also inspired me to save up and continue traveling so that I can immerse myself in other cultures as well.