Salma Perez Hernandez '27

Salma is a student advisor concentrating in Neurobiology and Behavior. Last summer, as a Nexus Scholar, she joined the Brain and Computation Lab (AYA), where she performed surgeries, utilized AAVs and optogenetics to study memory consolidation in the hippocampus. This semester she started working on a project developing a flexible neural probe to record spiking activity over longer periods of time. On campus she’s a volunteer at Cayuga Hospital, a translator for TIP, and a McNair scholar. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, reading, and watching F1 races. After Cornell, she intends to pursue an MD-PhD, and become a physician-scientist.

Salma’s words of advice for new students

“Focus on finding your place on campus, talk to your classmates, join clubs, explore different opportunities, especially those that push you outside of your comfort zone. Don’t compare yourself to others! We all have different goals and journeys. Lastly, remember that mistakes are not setbacks, they’re part of growth. Learn from them, and keep moving forward!”

College: Arts and Sciences

Tutoring: BIOG 1350, CHEM 3570, CHEM3580, BIONB2220, PHYS 1101-02

Email: sgp82 [at] cornell.edu