Passionate about making well-being accessible
I am dedicated to alleviating the burden of disease and promoting sustainable living by understanding the mechanisms that underlie mental, physical, and social well-being.
Areas of Interest
Advances in Neurophenomenology
Neurophenomenology is a discipline that combines neuroscience with phenomenology (an approach that concentrates on the study of consciousness and the objects of direct experience) in order to pragmatically study experience, mind, and consciousness.
By understanding the mechanisms that underlie profound states of consciousness, scientists can begin to understand how to influence our biology to promote better health and well-being outcomes for individuals and eventually humanity as a whole.
Holistic Understanding of Mindfulness and Meditation Training
Mindfulness and meditation practice has helped me understand how to live a fulfilling life, maintain personal integrity, and uplift the people around me.
I am most passionate about understanding how different mindfulness and meditation techniques (focused meditation, loving-kindness, gratitude etc…) manifests in our biology. Can we leverage our biological understanding of mindfulness and meditation to develop therapies or tools that make the practice accessible to as many people as possible?
Digital Wellness and Healthy Integration of Exponentially Growing Technologies
Digital Wellness is a category of wellness focused on conscious use of digital technology to promote and maintain mental, physical, and social health.
The cornerstone of digital wellness is mindfulness and awareness of the potent effects of compulsive technology use on our biology.
By understanding how our modern relationships with technology effect our psychological and physical health, we can begin to optimize our lives using the same technologies that have the potential to threaten our well-being.
Genetic Engineering/Bio-ethics
How safe and effective are gene therapies in producing sustainable, optimized health outcomes? How can we make the fruits of this innovative field accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of social or financial barriers.
What are the implications of these technologies and at what point do the negative consequences outweigh the positive? These questions are endlessly fascinating to me and I love any opportunity to explore them deeper.
Merits of a Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet
Modern science is proving that a whole foods plant-based diet can be ideal for physical and mental health outcomes. From reducing C-reactive protein levels to optimizing cardiovascular function, understanding the benefits of this diet need to be more mainstream and accessible to those who want to explore it.
Additionally, the positive effects it has on the environment and reduction of suffering inflicted to other beings are just as potent! It goes without saying that many factors contribute to the lack of access to a healthier diet, and I am interested in how policy change can make healthy options available to as many people as possible.
The Power of Creative Expression and Art
Creativity is what makes the human experience so unique and enriching. I have found creative expression through art to be paramount in maintaining peak life satisfaction. I am interested in how integrating creative expression into daily life can have positive mental health and social outcomes
As a music lover, I find deep fulfillment listening to and trying to make my own music. The genre that continues to inspire me is hip-hop. The art of sampling different records and manipulating them to create a new and unique track that pays homage to the original art while pushing creative boundaries is beautiful.
One of my favorite hobbies is trekking to the record store, picking out records based on the allure of the cover, and working to use the elements of the record to create a new piece of music. Some of my favorite record producers include: Madlib, J Dilla, Statik Selektah, Kanye West, DJ Premier, Nujabes, The Alchemist and hundreds of others that inspire me every day.