Goa Sojourn - April 2024

While catching up on recent industry news, I saw a post about a computational neuroscience conference held in Goa in late April. It looked interesting!when I came across a post about a conference related to computational neuroscience to be held at Goa some time in the last week of April. As a passionate neuroscience enthusiast, I was excited at the prospect of meeting so many experts in the field of neuroscience under one roof. However, considering the priorities at Cere and the fact that traveling to Goa meant spending at least 3 to 4 days away from work was not very easy to manage. To top it all was the expense. Expenses towards the travel, stay and conference participation was a considerable sum. I decided to think about it later.

I’m blessed to have a very considerate co-founder and a doting husband. The responsibilities at Cere and the expenses were sorted and my plan to participate in the conference was finalized. My adorable spouse took care of everything, allowing me to attend the neuroscience conference while also enjoying a solo trip.

With a free day between conference sessions, I hit the streets of Goa, eager to explore. I quickly realized that the local transport in Goa is limited and expensive. Luckily, renting a bike was an option! I was used to driving  a car, but I hadn't been on two wheels since ages. Hesitation gave way to adventure and I decided to rent a bike! Scooting around Goa on a bike turned out to be fun! It brought back a sense of freedom. Birla temple was serene and beautiful. Its white marble gleamed in the sunlight making it a haven of tranquility and peaceful reflection. I spent some peaceful moments there. Bogmalo beach with its white sand was picturesque. The sound of waves hitting the shore lulled me into a state of peaceful relaxation.

The first day of the conference was great. I met researchers from the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, Russia. Prof Anna Sheshtakov’s work focussed on the impact of persuasive healthy eating calls on the willingness to pay for healthy food items. Research by Prof. Boris Gutkin was related to controlling the working memory operations by selective gating. Got to know about the brilliant work that is being conducted by Prof SP Arun, professor from the Center of Neuroscience, IISc, Bangalore related to changes in the brain as a result of learning to read. Interacted with the director of Cognitive Neuroscience, BITS Pilani, Goa. Learned about the amazing work that he and his PhD students are doing to help early detection of the onset of dementia and some VR and mobile based games for cognitive assessment. I came to know about an advanced imaging technique called ASL (Arterial Spin Labeling) that is used to assess degenerative dementia syndrome. It was interesting to meet some of Saumya Tripathi and Yesoda Bhargava, PhD students at BITS Pilani, Goa and gain different perspectives on social entrepreneurship.

The second day was equally interesting. Got a chance to interact with Dr. Khushpreet Kaur, a neuroscientist who is leveraging digital biomarkers for early detection and management of cognitive decline.

The neuroscience conference was a great success! Not only did I learn a lot, but it also provided a platform to connect with inspiring individuals in the field I'm so passionate about. Building these relationships will undoubtedly be invaluable as I delve deeper into my neuroscience studies and strive to contribute to the field in the future.

Combining the conference with a solo trip to Goa proved to be the perfect combination. Connecting with people in the field I’m so passionate about and exploring a beautiful place like Goa was just great! Overall, this experience provided a powerful kickstart to my neuroscience journey, and I can't wait to see where it leads!