Megha Vemuri

Project: Investigating the Language Networks of Early Multilinguals and Polyglots using fMRI Host: Dr. Arpan Banerjee Collaboration with EvLab at MIT Acquiring fMRI data from 20 multilingual participants across 9 languages, applying task-based fMRI, individual-subject localization, and functional/structural connectomics, coordinating between NBRC and MIT EvLab. Creating language-localizer stimuli for 3+ previously unsupported South Asian languages; developing a culturally neutral production task for open use across research sites. Sourced and installed a new fMRI audio system to enable auditory stimulus presentation at NBRC.

PI: Dr. Evelina Fedorenko Co-led an fMRI study on heritage languages with ~20 participants, from recruitment and participant management through first- and second-level fMRI analyses, activation mapping, and co-authoring the SfN 2024 poster. Built a novel MATLAB/Psychtoolbox script for presenting stimuli across audio, video, and text modalities, iterating on experimental design directly with the PI over multiple months. Learned fMRI analysis pipelines (SPM, MATLAB) on the job while supporting 3 concurrent studies, handling recruitment, scheduling, consent, and survey design across projects.

MIT-Africa Program PI: Dr. Kirsty Donald Led EEG and Hyperfine MRI data collection from ~40 infants over 8 weeks for the Gates Foundation–funded SPACE EXPLORE project, training and supervising team members on acquisition protocols. Coordinated infant neuroimaging sessions requiring management of high dropout rates, motion artifacts, and cross-language communication with Xhosa-speaking families through a translator.

Course: 9.85 Infant and Childhood Cognition Professor: Dr. Laura Schulz Supervised 15+ student capstone projects in developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience Supported instruction for a 70+ student class, grading assignments and posters

Created and implemented a 4 week curriculum including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and computer science to gifted high school students in Amman, Jordan. 2 weeks were spent at the Jubilee School and 2 weeks were spent at Amman Academy, where we taught over 150 students total.

PI: Dr. Satrajit Ghosh Designed UI/UX updates and onboarding materials for Mumble Melody, a therapeutic app for people who stutter, and pushed a new version for user testing; presented the project to investors at the IdeaStream conference. Co-authored CHI '23 paper on a parrot video-calling system; managed 16 participants across time zones and built the video encoding pipeline and behavioral coding scheme for the study.

Promoting small businesses through digital marketing services, including graphic design, social media marketing, and website & app development.

Helped offer and coordinate internships between Alpharetta High School and the YMCA that allowed high school students to be a part of after-school programs at local elementary schools. My interns and I created science lesson plans and designed engaging experiments for kids.