Dr. Costa grew up in the Brazilian Amazon, in the city of Belém. He obtained his BSc in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Pará, in his hometown. He later received a Masters degree in Physiology from the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, and a Doctoral degree from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Goethe University, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Dr. Costa then joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse for his postdoc, where he worked on how dopamine signaling and orbitofrontal cortex activity shape latent learning and the construction of cognitive maps.

Dr. Costa has received several recognitions for his work, including a K99/R00 pathway to independence award from the NIDA/NIH and being selected as an Allen Institute Next Generation Leader. 

In 2024 Dr. Costa joined the University of Alabama Birmingham as an Assistant Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Psychology and a secondary appointment at the Department of Neurobiology. 

Dr. McFerrin grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, before moving to Huntsville, Alabama as a teen with a life-long dedication to science. After high school he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from UAH, studying biochemistry and protein crystallography. Seeking an advanced degree, Mike found his true passion in neuroscience, ultimately earning his PhD from UAB studying normal astrocytes and volume regulation in malignant glioblastomas. Following a brief post-doc at UBC in Vancouver, British Colombia, he returned to UAB to work on projects ranging from Parkinson’s disease to age-related macular degeneration. Mike has enjoyed two-week trips to Japan and France, but usually enjoys cooking, puzzles, crafts, and sharing the occasional cheesecake with friends.

Aryona grew up in Hoover, Alabama. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in forensic science and African American studies. She is also a Resident Assistant (RA) in UAB's Student Housing & Residence Life.

Hobbies: reading, baking, and arts/crafts

Kierra is from a small town named Frisco City, Alabama. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in forensic psychology and criminal justice. She is also a Resident Assistant (RA) in student housing and residents' life at UAB. 

Hobbies: reading, gaming, arts/crafts 

Tommy is from the small town of Thomasville, Alabama. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and Social Psychology. He is also a student leader in the Student Multicultural and Diversity Programs (SMDP) at UAB.

Hobbies: Reading, Gaming, Writing

Somya grew up in Georgia all her life before she moved to UAB. She is currently an Honors student majoring in Neuroscience on the Pre-Dental Track. She is also apart of the Indian Cultural Association on campus. 

Hobbies: drawing, painting, dancing

Julia grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They are currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice at the University of  Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She also works as a Resident Assistant (RA) with UAB's Student Housing & Residence Life.

Hobbies: Photography, drawing, and model building.

Kody is originally from Alabama. He is pursing a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. He is also an Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's student in Multidisciplinary BioMedical Science concentrating in Neuroscience.  

Hobbies: Olympic Weightlifting , board riding( skateboarding and surfing), drawing/painting.

Eli is from Birmingham, Alabama. He is majoring in Neuroscience and pursuing a minor in bioinformatics. He is also a student in UAB's Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP).

Eli's hobbies include playing the piano, solving math puzzles, and gardening.