Violeta Contreras– Ramirez

Region: NYC: Bronx/Manhattan Region
Program Institution: City College

Education

High School: Mamaroneck High School

College/University: City College
Major/Minor: B.S. Biology & Psychology/Minor Chemistry

Graduate School/University: City College
Major/Minor: M.S. Biology
Graduation Date: 2015

Work History

Employer: Research Fellow, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, White Plains, New York

Significant Professional or Academic Accomplishments: Violeta Contreras Ramirez was born in a small town in Mexico and grew up there until she immigrated to the United States at the age of eight. She lived in Florida for five years, and then returned to Mexico for three more years, before moving to New York during her junior year of high school. It was during this time, at Mamaroneck High School in Westchester, that she first became interested in science. She credits her science teacher, Ms. Murphy, for first introducing her to neuroscience.

Violeta entered City College in fall 2010 and decided to major in biology and psychology in order to learn about the nervous system from different perspectives. She is a Division of Science Mentor and has served on the CCAPP student Advisory board and as both the secretary and Vice President.

Currently, she is conducting research in Dr. Levitt’s neurobiology laboratory, where they study the development of connections in the visual cortex in the ferret. She said, “ I could not have asked for a better mentor, as Dr. Levitt is always more than willing to give me advice not only regarding academics, but professional goals as well. Taking Dr. Levitt’s neurobiology course reminded me of why I chose to study the field of neuroscience, and if I could start all over again at City College, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Amongst her many awards, Violeta was a recipient of 2013 ABRCMS Travel Award, 2014 CSTEP poster presentation winner, Biology 2014 Ward Medal . She will graduate this May with a BS/MS degree in Biology.

Violeta is following the footsteps of previous Science and CCAPP students who were valedictorians:

Patricia Burns----Biology, 1999; Eder Izaguirre----Physics, 2007; Antonia M. Florio---- Biology, 2008 and Samreen Nayyer---- Math, 2009; Joshua Usani---- Biology, 2011.