Porsha Taheri 

Porsha Taheri is a double major in Neuroscience and Biology with a minor in French in the Faculty of Arts & Science. Porsha had the opportunity to participate in the Summer Research Exchange Program with the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Graz located in Graz, Austria. She researched the impact of animate and inanimate stimuli types on Inhibition of Return, a phenomenon related to visual attention tasks.

During her Summer Research Exchange program, Porsha was responsible for helping to run experiments from recruiting and working with study participants to setting up and collecting data resulting from the experiment. Performing this work in an international context led to valuable insights as she picked up on the “nuances of conducting research in a different cultural and academic setting.” 

As Porsha continued, “It was eye-opening to compare research practices in Toronto with those in Graz, Austria, and I had the privilege of engaging with a diverse community of scientists from across Europe.” Although many research processes are similar, Porsha had the opportunity to connect with other researchers from across Europe as they went on an excursion to a salt mine outside the city and then toured a famous brewery tour. As Porsha shared, “This provided me with a unique chance to connect with individuals researching fields closely aligned with my own interests, all within a setting I might not have otherwise encountered.” 

This year, Porsha will continue her role as a research assistant at the Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences at the U of T and apply to graduate schools so she can continue her research journey.

Research Type(s): International Research Experiences, Summer Research Programs