ABOUT
STEPHANIE MILANI
I am a Computer Science (B.S.) and Psychology (B.A.) student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Class of 2019). I am also a National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholar. This program centers around the Grand Challenges proposed by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). These fourteen broad problems focus innovation to make a global impact. I joined this program because I wanted the chance to synthesize the experiences I have had and will have into a cohesive, overarching direction. After graduating from UMBC, I will be a Machine Learning Ph.D. student at Carnegie Mellon University.
MY CHALLENGE
REVERSE-ENGINEERING THE BRAIN
For my challenge, I chose to focus on "Reverse-Engineering the Brain". Tackling this problem is crucial to understanding the essence of humanity: how we learn, plan, perceive, and think. As it stands, current understanding of the brain is severely limited to the role of discrete neurotransmitters and localized areas. Reverse engineering the brain will give us a clearer picture of how these individual parts interact to produce the most complex and sophisticated processing organ in the world. As someone with research experience in neuroscience and artificial intelligence, I can approach the challenge with a unique and interdisciplinary perspective.