Anya Baroff
Cognitive Neuroscientist, Researcher, Author
Interests
Born and raised in Santa Monica, CA, trained in California and Cambridge, MA, Baroff's research interests are inspired through the interplay of how art can inform science. Some of Baroff's recent questions concern how we might approach cognition through interdisciplinary frameworks bridging clinical and educational neurodevelopment within atypical models of neuroscience.  Via experiential models of plasticity and translational research design, Baroff ascribes to gaining inspiration from philosophy and moral intrigue to help explore humanistic-driven questions to stay at the forefront of the disciplined research.
Education
Boston, MA
USA
Havard Medical School
Clinical Fellowship to understand neuroplasticity in pediatrics, focusing on anesthesia and post-operative cognitive development and precursors to neurodevelopment disorders in longitudinal studies. Supported by Charles Nelson, Phd. and Charles Berde, MD
Barcelona, Catalonia
Spain
University of Barcelona
Immersive-course work including Physics and Psychology taught exclusively in Spanish and Catalan language. Independent research advised by Dr. Juan Campo.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Research Assistant in The reading mind: A cognitive approach to understanding how the mind reads under supervision of John Gabrieli
Los Angeles, CA
Santa Barbara, CA
USA
University of California
Post-Baccalaureate studies in neuroscience specializing in pediatric brain tumors, neuropsychiatric disorders, neuro-trauma and neurodegenerative atypical development. Mentors included Dr. Linda Demer and Dr. Gary Small.
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Undergraduate collegiate studies in basic sciences including neuroscience, psychology, biology, organic and inorganic chemistries, physics and philosophy. Mentors and lab affiliations included Dr. David Sherman and Dr. Barry Giesbrecht.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard University
Master's studies in Mind, Brain and Education (Educational Neuroscience) focusing on mindfulness, life-long learning, moral development, leadership (Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and innovation (Harvard Business School)
Supervisor: Dr. Howard Gardner, Ph.D.
Recent Projects and Collaborations
-Critical Periods of Neuroplasticity and Anesthesia: Potential Shifters of Excitatory-Inhibitory Balance in Early Development
-Meta-cognitive development in moral development following brain injury
-Patient-practitioner relational negotiations in optimizing neurologic healthcare outcomes
-Brain Mapping as a Tool to Support Complex Understanding of Neuroplasticity and Regional Specificity of Cognitive Function
-Life-long learning and developmental models for self-efficacy and perception of control
-Neuro-feedback and personalization in technology-driven neuro-rehabilitation training
-Intrinsic motivation and learning models in systemic organizational models
--Augmented Reality as a Transformative Learning Tool: Integrating Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, and Educational Theory
-Project-Based Learning and Support for Neurodiversity and Multiple Intelligences in Collaborative Classrooms
-The Role of Kindness in Promoting Health and Well-Being
Partner collaborators: Harvard University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of Oxford, University of California affiliates
Economic Constructs Covid-19 stimulus: exploring gender-based equities and inequities based on socioeconomic models of economic development
Current lines of Inquiry
Research Questions and Directions
-How might we use functional neuroimaging to understand critical periods of plasticity following trauma?
-What is the role of neuro-rehabilitation in regaining lost skills vs. forming new connections? How might we address both simultaneously while confined to limitations of time-windows related to plasticity within critical periods?
-How might cognitive development be formed by experience-based plasticity through experiential learning vs. augmented realities? What might cognitive transfer in memory retention look like between constructed realities?
-How might moral judgement factor into stages of cognitive development in neurodiverse populations? How might decision-making processes help us understand markers in atypical cognitive development?
-How might personalization models of educational and medical neuroscience help us understand atypical models of neurodevelopment?
-How might neuroimaging help to inform technology-driven rehabilitation and learning interventions based on models of regional connectivity?
-How might translational neuroscience research help us redefine social constructs of typical cognitive development to help us innovate societal equity models of neuro-inclusion?
-How might health psychology research help redefine cognitive illness by redefining medical constructs of disability based on personalization in cognitive neuroscience?
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