Intern Blog

Hello! My name is Mina Bayraktar, and I am a senior at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry. My family is originally from Türkiye, but now we call Cary, North Carolina home. My passion for neuroscience began in an unexpected way, through the movie Inside Out . I remember being in middle school, completely mesmerized by how the film illustrated the inner workings of the brain and connected it to behavior and emotions. That was the spark that set m

My fascination with human behavior began in high school as I closely observed the early development of my younger siblings. That initial curiosity deepened when I volunteered at a summer camp, where guiding preschoolers and encouraging their creativity taught me how essential a safe, supportive environment is for growth. I saw how children thrive when they feel secure, seen, and heard. In recent years, however, my understanding of safety and support has been profoundly reshap