Nike Gnanateja
"Dr. Nike Gnanateja is a fantastic mentor. He consistently pushes students to do their best, be creative, and step out of their comfort zones. I matched into his lab in the URS program as a neurobiology major, but his work with the ear and communication disorders inspired me to become a behavior technician— something he also did in his early career. It really inspired me and is a large reason why I intend to pursue psychiatry in the future (my work in his lab, his recommendations for me, and the soft skills I learned from him are all major reasons for why I got into medical school, in my opinion). He is vested not only in my success, but in all the numerous undergraduates in his lab. He makes sure that we are taking charge of our futures and helping each other succeed. Nike is always in the lab. I run 4-hr block EEG sessions under his auspices, and I see him first thing at 7 AM and last to leave at 7 PM. He leaves computers running overnight to run codes from home as well. His work ethic has truly inspired me. He is extremely detail-oriented and meticulous in his work. I have worked in a variety of medical-related fields that demand a lot of attention, but by far, his lab is the most discerning of them all. From greeting participants to bedside manner, to keeping equipment at peak condition, to soldering wires in order to ensure cleanliness of EEG signals— every step of the process is so detailed. I am currently writing my thesis for submission, and with that as well, Nike has provided invaluable feedback on the process as well. Even though he runs a variety of experiments and mine is not the most urgent one, he can list off 5 papers from the top of his head for me to read and cite. In addition to professional work, I have gotten to know Nike as a very thoughtful, interesting, and patient person. I genuinely aspire to be as thoughtful, caring, and dedicated in my future as Nike."
Communication Sciences & Disorders