She’s working to change the world and now she’s sharing her knowledge with students at her former school! North Colonie alumna Dr. Kainat Akhtar returned to Shaker Middle School to speak to science classes in Skylight Hall on Tuesday, February 4. Dr. Akhtar spent the entire day telling seventh graders not only about her research into Parkinson’s Disease, but also about her experience as a student at what used to be Shaker Junior High School. She even brought slides of rat brains for the students to look at, which they found fascinating!
Dr. Akhtar ended her talk with a discussion about neurotransmitters and how we can make ourselves feel better by practicing self-care, gratitude, and kindness. This paired nicely with the “Random Acts of Kindness” project that students are working on in science. The project focuses on the good feeling that results from “happy neurotransmitters” like dopamine and serotonin being released when we connect with others through kindness.
Dr. Akhtar is no stranger to working with young people. She is a teacher and mentor in the Albany Medical School’s Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP) for high school students. It is a statewide initiative that prepares underserved students to pursue undergraduate degrees in STEM fields.
