Ellie Horne

Project outcomes:

This summer I carried out my project titled “Art of the Brain” under the supervision of Dr Jennifer Paxton. My project aimed to build upon the existing “Art of the Brain” workshop run by the ATLAS Facility, where members of the public learn some neuroanatomy whilst painting a plaster brain model. To do this, my project specifically focused on creating a two-part silicone mould that could be used to create plaster hemisphere models showing both the internal and external structures of the brain. 

This project was funded by one of this year’s Our Minds Scholarships. To apply for the funding, I first filled out the application form with details such as my proposed project, any relevant experience I have, why my project is relevant to the wider theme of “Our Minds”, and how my project would benefit from collaborations with students from other disciplines across the university. Following a successful application, I was invited to a relaxed interview where I had the chance to talk through my project idea and answer questions from the panel regarding project design and feasibility.  

The most rewarding part of my project is that I’ve been able to contribute towards some of the public engagement activity carried out by the ATLAS Facility. Public engagement in anatomy – especially neuroanatomy - is something that I think is very important for helping the public better understand how we function and how various conditions can affect us. I also found it very rewarding to work on such a creativity-focused project. This was my first time trying silicone mould-making and I thoroughly enjoyed the creative problem-solving that came with the mould-making process. 

I think that students should get involved in a summer project because it’s a great way to gain experience in the planning and development of a project, as well as being beneficial for developing personal and professional skills like time management and organisation.  

As I move on to my postgraduate studies, I feel that this project has given me transferrable skills associated with time management and creative problem-solving that will be beneficial for my further studies. Additionally, working on my “Art of the Brain” project has made me very keen to contribute to more anatomy-focused public engagement work in the future.  

If I could give any advice to future students applying for a summer scholarship it would be to go out of your comfort zone and reach out to the academic staff within your field of interest – it’s a great way to form connections and gain new opportunities and experiences. Additionally, I think it’s very important to take pride in your project right from the application stage. Not only will it help you be confident in any application interview that you have, but it’ll really let you get the most out of your project once you start working on it.