Track: Molecular, Cellular and Physiological

Graduation Year: Spring 2024

Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt

Meet Nada! Her interest in neuroscience stems from her inquisitive nature. She has always been curious about how things work and has channeled this into studying the brain. Nada is a member of the Neuroscience Honors program and is set to defend her thesis Spring 2024. She is researching the impact of auditory deprivation on the development of the auditory system. While past research has focused on auditory elimination, her study specifically examines the effects of deprivation, recognizing that many clinically deaf individuals still experience sound to some degree. By shifting the focus from elimination to deprivation, this thesis aims to provide a different perspective of the auditory system.

Nada has also done research in the Carr Lab at UMD and through the Johns Hopkins Summer Internship Program. She has also done a clinical internship at the Johns Hopkins Center for Brain and Neurocare. She is the recipient of a College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences Summer Research Award and the Dr. David Yager Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. 

As a first-generation college student looking to pursue a career in medicine, Nada is dedicated to helping others navigate the complexities of the pre-med process. She is currently working to create a website called MedMentorHub to help pre-med students with their personal statements, secondary applications, MCAT studying, and internship searches. 

Nada is an active member of the UMD community. She is the current president of UMD’s chapter of Nu Rho Psi, a national neuroscience honors society. As president, she has worked to facilitate mentorship programs, hold professional school webinars, and organize networking panels. She is also a Paratransit Supervisor, leading 150 other student employees working to provide transportation for disabled students to doctors appointments and classes. This work has spurred her deep dedication to disability justice and has led her to advocate for increased accessibility on campus. In her free time, Nada enjoys practicing makeup artistry.