Ubadah Sabbagh

Ubadah is looking at the camera, smiling wide.

I’m a neuroscientist currently wrapping up my PhD at Virginia Tech, where I study the development and circuitry of the visual system. My current research is focused on understanding how the retina, our portal into the visual world, connects with the thalamus in the brain in a way that helps us make sense of our surroundings.

I immigrated to the United States at the age of 16 when I was admitted into a community college in Kansas City. I then transferred to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where I earned a BS in Biology. Until starting college, I’d never met a scientist in my life and never saw it as a viable career option. Now, one of my personal goals at each career stage is to make sure other students (particularly those from groups under-represented in STEM) see science as an accessible career, and mentor and empower them to pursue it.

Science to me isn’t only about discovering new things about nature - as cool as that is! I’m passionate about communicating science (in writing and in person) to the general public and to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. You’ll find my writing in places like Scientific American, Washington Post, Huffington Post, and others.

You can learn more about me on twitter (@neubadah), my website (ubadahsabbagh.com), and feel free to reach out to me by email (ubadahs@vt.edu).