With the 2025 Flux Congress mere months away, the Flux Trainee Committee is excited to spotlight some of your fellow attendees through our trainee research profiles. If you’re a trainee—whether a student, post-bacc, or postdoc—and would like to be featured, we invite you to fill out our interest form!
At Flux, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of researchers who are shaping the future of developmental cognitive neuroscience. In our new Trainee Spotlight series, we will highlight the achievements, aspirations, and contributions of outstanding trainees within our community. These young scientists are not only pushing the boundaries of research but also embodying the spirit of collaboration and innovation that drives our field forward.
Today, we are excited to introduce Sujin Park. Let's dive into their journey, insights, and what motivates them to make a lasting impact in developmental cognitive neuroscience.
Sujin Park
Graduate Student (PhD, Masters), University of California San Diego
What is the focus of your research?
My research centers on predicting developmental trajectories and explaining how our brain changes across the lifespan. More specifically, I am interested in using neuroimaging methods to find predictive biomarkers of neurodevelopmental disorders.
What is your most interesting research finding or inquiry so far?
In my previous projects, I worked with structural and functional MRI data to examine behavioral outcomes such as anxiety and depression. More recently, I have been investigating how cortical functional networks interact with the subcortical regions, specifically the basal ganglia and thalamus, in children with Tourette Syndrome using Precision Functional Mapping (PFM) data. I find this work particularly exciting, as I believe PFM allows for more accurate characterization of brain networks and offers new insights to better understand Tourette Syndrome. More broadly, I hope to continue conducting research that links brain measures to neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive/emotional processing.
Are you presenting at the Flux meeting in Dublin?
Yes! I will be presenting a poster entitled ‘Characterizing Functional Brain Network Integration in the Basal Ganglia and Thalamus in Children with Tourette Syndrome’.
What do you enjoy doing when not researching ?
When I am not doing research, I spend a lot of time reading, watching the sunset, making matcha latte and learning German.
Best piece of advice you have received as a trainee?
Begin with the end in mind.
Most useful resource that you would recommend to other trainees in developmental cognitive neuroscience?
For anyone interested in neuroscience podcasts, I recommend Hidden Brain, OHBM Neurosalience, and Sensitive Periods: A Flux Society Podcast!
Please list any social media accounts / personal websites that you would like us to highlight
https://suezaan.github.io/