Patrick Horn

Growing up I loved science since it fed my hunger for answers about the way the world works, and when my grandma was suffering with leukemia and I learned that neurodegenerative diseases runs in my family, I felt like I needed answers and to find ways to prevent others from experiencing such suffering. It wasn’t until I first saw a video showing a young man’s physical symptoms of dystonia disappear after a deep brain stimulation operation when my path toward a career in medicine took off. I began watching videos of surgery and searching information about diseases to learn more. Since then, my interests shifted to be more focused on neuroscience and public health because there is still much to be understood regarding the brain and there is plenty room for improvement in current health care systems. My interest in the brain varies from the cellular level to the common mechanisms that underlie how our thoughts work. For this reason, I chose to pursue an independent research project concentrated in psychology.

 

The Eckardt Scholar program enabled me to attend the wonderful University of Lehigh, and I am forever grateful. The program has opened up doors to not only allow me to take the necessary classes to achieve my duel-degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and HMS, but also to be exposed to research opportunities and pursuing an independent research project. I even was able to have additional space to expand on my musical skills and take private violin lessons as well as work two jobs outside of Lehigh University.

 

Thesis Subject

Investigating intentional forgetting of trait inference