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Name: Raphael Steinfeld
Lab: Circuit Dynamics & Computation
Project: Dynamics of auditory cortex in decision making and task engagement
“There’s something captivating about falling water, that kind of constant but random movement gets me into this state where I’m able to just observe. In this never-ending, ever-changing flux – each moment entirely meaningless in itself– I get a sense that I’m with myself.
With experimental observation of neural dynamics, it’s essential to be highly organised and rigorous in order to be productive. Certain processes are necessarily repetitive and predictable, but I try to remain attentive to what’s actually happening along the way. Often, this is where serendipity strikes.
It’s not easy to do; I have little rituals that help me enforce or strengthen the necessary mindset. Whichever process my mind was immersed in before, these simple routines allow me to step back and realign.”
– Raphael Steinfeld
Raphael Steinfeld obtained a BSc in molecular cell biology from the University of Heidelberg, followed by a Masters degree in Neuroscience/ Molecular Biosciences at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/University of Heidelberg. He is currently a PhD student at the International Doctoral Neuroscience Programme at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon.
Tor Stensola is a postdoc in the Systems Neuroscience Lab at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown
Edited by: Liad Hollender (Science Communication Office).
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