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Sarah Schwettmann
1401 Kipling Street
Apartment 19
Houston, TX 77006
Education
http://www.cogconfluence.com
sec11@rice.edu
713.826.3035
Rice University, Houston, Texas
B.A. in Computational and Applied Mathematics (CAAM)
B.A. in Cognitive Science
Minor in Neuroscience
Expected May 2015
Expected May 2015
Expected May 2015
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GPA: 4.01/4.00
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Relevant coursework includes theoretical and computational neuroscience, bayesian modeling, dynamical systems, brain imaging (Baylor College of Medicine, graduate), sensory
neuroengineering, neuropsychology of language (graduate), biopsychology, philosophy of
perception, mathematical logic, numerical analysis, linear and integer programming, partial differential equations, matrix analysis, research seminars in computational neuroscience
and operations research & optimization
Academic Honors
Rice Trustee Distinguished Scholar (four-year full tuition merit scholarship)
2011–2015
Rice Century Scholar (two-year merit scholarship and research stipend)
2011–2013
CAAM-Chevron Undergraduate Prize Recipient
F 2013
Louise J. Walsh Scholarship Recipient
2013-14, 2014-15
President’s Honor Roll
S 2012, F 2012, F 2013, S 2014
National Merit Scholar
2011
Research
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Dec 2013–
Shouval Laboratory for Theoretical Neuroscience
Advisor Dr. Harel Shouval
Current. Investigating temporal competition of LTP and LTD eligibility traces as a selfstabilizing mechanism for reinforcement learning. Won travel grant to OCNS 2014, where
this work was accepted as an oral presentation. Also featured as a poster at SfN 2014.
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May–Jul 2013
TECBio NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates
Advisor Dr. Bard Ermentrout
Developed a mean-field model of traveling waves in cortex to investigate the roles of layers 2/3
and 5 in propagating activity. Work culimated in a presentation as student plenary speaker
and a poster presentation at the Duqesne Undergraduate Research Symposium, as well as
oral presentations at the CMU Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition and the University of
Pittsburgh.
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
May 2012–May 2013
Eagleman Laboratory for Perception and Action
Advisor Dr. David Eagleman
Applied a Bayesian framework to chord-color synesthesia to unmask implicit spatial organization of chords in color space. Resulted in a paper, which has been submitted for publication,
and a poster presentation at the National Council on Undergraduate Research.
Presentations
& Papers
S. Schwettmann, C. Kadipasalogu, W. Ma, D. Eagleman.
Chord-color synesthetes implicitly map
musical relationships onto color space. Paper submitted.
M. Huertas, S. Schwettmann, A. Kirkwood, H. Shouval. Stable reinforcement learning via temporal competition between LTP and LTD traces. OCNS Conference, oral presentation and poster:
July 28, 2014.
M. Huertas, S. Schwettmann, H. Shouval. Stable reinforcement learning via temporal competeition
between LTP and LTD traces. Society for Neuroscience, poster: November 18, 2014.
S. Schwettmann, G. B. Ermentrout. Traveling waves in a wilson-cowan model of cortex. Duquesne
Undergraduate Research Symposium, presentation, poster: July 26, 2013. CMU CNBC, presentation: July 25, 2013. University of Pittsburgh Dept. Computational Biology, presentation: July
25, 2013.
S. Schwettmann, S. Churchhill, D. Eagleman. A large-scale analysis of music-color synesthesia.
National Council for Undergraduate Research, poster: April 13, 2013.
Teaching
COLL 163: Women Leaders in STEM, Rice University
Jan–May 2014
course instructor
Designed and taught a single-credit course on issues surrounding women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the Rice Student Taught Course program.
The class served as a platform for an independent interview videography project and is also
being developed into a three-credit course to be offered in Spring 2015.
CAAM 210: Intro. to Engineering Computation, Rice University
Jan 2013–
Rice Learning Assistant
Taught a weekly lab section of an introductory MATLAB coding course in the CAAM dept.,
also responsible for grading weekly projects. Contributed two chapters on the perceptron
learning algorithm to the course text, available at www.cogconfluence.com/caam-210-2/.
BrainSTEM Program, Rice University, KIPP and Worthing High Schools
Aug 2011–
mentor, coordinator
Worked as a mentor to guide small groups of high school students through a foundational
computational neuroscience curriculum. Coordinated recruitment and developed course materials in mathematics, computer programming and electrical engineering.
Head Academic Fellow, Brown College
Aug 2013–
Led 16 Academic Fellows in providing academic assistance to underclassmen, organized events
to stimulate the intellectual environment at Brown College, and offered individual assistance
to peers through office hours and appointments.
Other
Experience Chinese Bridge International Language Competition
2010
Selected as one of three United States representatives for a Mandarin language proficiency
competition held in Chongqing, China; won third place among competitors from 40 countries.
COMAP Mathematical Contest in Modeling, Meritorious Winner
2013
Women’s Global Leadership Conference in Energy and Technology
2013
Assisted OnSite Partners in organizing the annual meeting in Houston, Texas
Neuroscience Reading Groups
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2013–
Computational Modeling Journal Club (UTHSC, BCM)
ECoG Journal Club (Rice, UTHSC, BCM)
Rice Center for Engineering Leadership
Aug 2013–
Served on the Student Advisory Board for the development of the Certificate Program in
Engineering Leadership.
Affiliations
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Society for Neuroscience
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Organization for Computational Neurosciences
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Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
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Association for Women in Mathematics
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Texas Chinese Language Teachers Association
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Local involvement: Houston Chinese Symphony (zither & mandolin), Houston International Folk Dancers, Houston Cactus & Succulent Society, Krav Maga Houston,
Jung Center Houston