Ryan Verbitsky

I joined the Hamilton Research Laboratory in the Fall of 2021 while pursuing my B.Sc. in Psychology and Biology at MacEwan University. My current work consists of determining the potential anxiolytic effects and mechanism of action of terpenes, specifically terpinolene, with the goal of combining the findings of colleagues working with alternative terpenes. My personal connection for pursuing an understanding of cognitive neuroscience of attention, perception, and visuomotor control stems from brain traumas and the recovery from those traumas I sustained during my teenage years playing hockey. Those events continue to drive me, where my interests also extend to learning and memory, neuroimaging, neuropharmacology, and developmental psychology. While I have met my degree requirements, my passion for this field, particularly in research and practice, reaches beyond those requirements. My goal is to pursue and earn a graduate school degree (M.Sc./M.D.) that would equip me with the education and training to serve in a pediatric neurology career.