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Sydney E. Smith

Ph.D. Candidate in Computational Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego
As a Neuroscience PhD candidate at UC San Diego, I specialize in neural signal analysis. Our brains produce many different kinds of signals--chemical, magnetic, electrical--and the ways that neuroscientists use these signals is essential to how we research the brain. I'm specifically interested in the brain's electrical signals, or "brain waves" that we can measure using tools like the electroencephalogram (EEG). When these electrical signals are measured in research experiments, neuroscientists use complex mathematical methods to extract information from their brain waves. This is where my research comes in: how does the math we use influence how we think about the brain? What happens when we're using that math incorrectly or misinterpreting it?

These are the questions I face every day in my research. So far, I've been able to answer some pretty big questions about brain waves and how they change in patients receiving treatment for severe depression. By challenging our assumptions about brain waves, I hope to help settle long-standing mysteries about the brain and uncover new, exciting discoveries that help us better understand how the brain works in healthy cognition and disease.

Currently, I'm a PhD candidate in the Neurosciences Graduate Program, supervised by Dr. Bradley Voytek in the Neural and Data Analytics Lab at the University of California, San Diego. I have a B.S. in Biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara and also volunteer as a writer for Stories of Women in Neuroscience, a blog and podcast that features women neuroscientists, their research, and journeys in academia.

How electroconvulsive therapy heals the brain − new insights into ECT, a stigmatized yet highly effective treatment for depression

Dec 07, 2023 08:01 am UTC| Health

When most people hear about electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, it typically conjures terrifying images of cruel, outdated and pseudo-medical procedures. Formerly known as electroshock therapy, this perception of ECT as...

Economy

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Eyes Helium Supply Risks Amid Middle East Conflict

Malaysias semiconductor industry is closely tracking potential disruptions to global helium supplies as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to ripple through international commodity markets. While no...

Bank of Japan Holds Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns and Yen Weakness

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to keep its short-term benchmark interest rate at 0.75% following its March 19 policy meeting, marking a pause after its 25 basis point hike last December. While no immediate rate...

Asian Markets Rally on AI Optimism Ahead of Fed Decision

Asian stock markets mostly advanced on Wednesday, fueled by a surge in technology stocks following major announcements at Nvidias GTC 2026 conference. Fresh AI-related partnerships and next-generation computing product...

Asian Currencies Hold Steady Amid Iran Conflict and Central Bank Decisions

Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Wednesday as geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, combined with a wave of major central bank meetings, prompted traders to adopt a cautious stance....

Japan's Major Companies Lead Strong Wage Growth for Fourth Consecutive Year

Japanese corporate giants, including Toyota, Hitachi, and NEC, announced significant pay increases during this years annual wage negotiations, marking the fourth straight year of robust salary growth. The momentum reflects...

Politics

Iran Defiant as Israel-U.S. War Enters Dangerous New Phase

Iran has vowed to continue its military operations despite Israels assassination of senior security official Ali Larijani, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi insisting the Islamic Republic does not rely on any...

Japan's Military Options in the Strait of Hormuz: What Tokyo Can and Cannot Do

Donald Trumps call for allied nations to deploy warships escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has put Japan in a difficult position, reigniting long-standing debates over how far its pacifist constitution...

Iran-Israel War Escalates: Cluster Missiles, Nuclear Fears, and Strait of Hormuz Crisis

Tensions between Iran and Israel have reached a critical point as Iran launched cluster warhead missiles at Tel Aviv overnight Tuesday, claiming the strike was retaliation for Israels assassination of senior security...

U.S. Maintains Taiwan Arms Shipments Despite Ongoing Iran Air Campaign

The Trump administration has assured Congress that ongoing U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran, which began on February 28, have not disrupted weapons deliveries to Taiwan or altered American policy toward the...

Russia Captures Two More Ukrainian Villages Amid Ongoing Frontline Clashes

Russian forces have seized control of two additional Ukrainian settlements, according to a statement released by Russias Defence Ministry on Tuesday. The ministry confirmed that its armed forces took over the village of...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Microsoft Eyes Legal Action as Amazon-OpenAI Deal Threatens Azure Exclusivity

Microsoft is reportedly considering legal action against both Amazon and OpenAI following the announcement of a massive $50 billion cloud computing partnership between the two companies. According to the Financial Times,...

Alibaba Bets on AI Agents to Unify Its Vast Digital Ecosystem

Alibaba is doubling down on artificial intelligence by deploying AI agents designed to connect its wide-ranging portfolio of consumer and enterprise services. The strategy marks a significant pivot one that positions the...

AMD CEO Lisa Su Heads to Samsung's South Korea Chip Facility Amid AI Expansion Talks

Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su is scheduled to visit Samsung Electronics semiconductor manufacturing complex in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, marking a significant step in deepening the two companies strategic partnership....

NVIDIA Resumes China AI Chip Production Amid $1 Trillion Revenue Forecast

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang confirmed Tuesday that the company is restarting manufacturing of its H20 chip for the Chinese market, after receiving export licenses from the U.S. government. The announcement came during the GTC...

Amazon's AWS Could Hit $600 Billion in Revenue as AI Reshapes Cloud Growth

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently told employees that artificial intelligence could propel Amazon Web Services to $600 billion in annual revenue double the $300 billion target he had previously projected over roughly a...