Featured EyeWirer: Laure Bersig
Meet Laure Bersig aka @laurcifer, EyeWirer and artist of the image above!
Hello everybody. My name is Laure and I adore learning. I have a bachelor degree in Music Production/Criticism. Currently, I am a medical assisting student in New York and will be receiving my associate degree in allied health and applied science this coming May.
Why do you play EyeWire?
Can you imagine what humans could accomplish if we were to use the resources around us in more meaningful ways? I believe EyeWire is a great example of what we can collectively achieve when the right tools are in place.
I participate in EyeWire because it gives me the opportunity to contribute to real research. I love that we are working towards learning the unknowns about the structure of mammalian brains. This is not something we did in high school science class in the 90’s, any experiments or data collection that we took part in already had a known correct answer. My dream job is to become a professor or a researcher in the field of neuroendocrinology so that I may continue to delve into the unknown and teach others what I learn.
How did you discover EyeWire?
I discovered EyeWire back in January of 2012 while I was working on a digital painting and listening to TED Talks on the human brain. I was particularly interested in the talk about connectomics. I watched it again the same day and sent a flattering e-mail to Professor Seung requesting to get involved. By February I was on the beta test for EyeWire.
I really enjoyed the way Professor Seung made connections between how the human brain functions and the way personal experiences coupled with genetic factors distinguish individuals from their fellow man. I believe a better understanding of neurology and the brain in general would benefit society in countless ways and I need to be involved in spreading this message.
Share a short story that helps the world get to know you.
I always considered myself an individual with pretty eclectic tastes – until I discovered brain science. In college the first time around, I studied art, music, English, criticism, environmental science, anthropology, religion and culture and have recently begun to study medical science while giving college a second go. For me, brain science ties all of my interests together very concretely.
I find studying the brain inspiring and empowering. Learning about how the human brain functions and the way personal experiences coupled with genetic factors distinguish individuals from their fellow man is fascinating.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Let’s hear it for 2 great teachers! (Aside from Prof. Seung)
1. Professor James McElwaine of SUNY Purchase in New York: One day during my Studio Production class, Professor McElwaine made a statement that haunted me for years to come. He said “The structure of the musician brain is different than the structure of the non-musician brain”. This idea was the source of my beginning to research how the human brain works.
2. Carl Sagan: Last but certainly not least, Carl Sagan inspires me above all others. Sometimes the best teachers are not found in the classroom. Watching episode 11, “The Persistence of Memory” of the Views of the Cosmos series changed me for the better. I now have the confidence to train my brain to my liking. While talking about the human brain, Sagan puts emphasis on using our brains to understand the world around us. To do so, he makes vivid comparisons of the brain to a city and to a library. While discussing the cerebral cortex, Sagan unlocks a treasure trove of quotes, a few of which I will share with you:
“There is so much more that we must figure out than the genes can know. That’s why the brain library has ten thousand times more information in it than the gene library. Our passion for learning is the tool for our survival”. Sagan also goes on to say how unlike the gene library, we are constantly adding new pages and volumes to the brain library.
While discussing gray matter, he reveres the higher functions of the cortex as “(It is) the distinction of our species, the seat of our humanity. Art and science live here. Civilization is a product of the cerebral cortex”
“We are, each of us, largely responsible for what gets put into our brains, for what, as adults, we wind up knowing and caring about. No longer at the mercy of the reptile brain, we can change ourselves. Think of the possibilities”.
