2025 Summer ETHOS Experience
From June through September 2025, dedicated seniors from Sullivan and Senn High School participated in the second wave of the DANA Program for Neuroscience & Society at Loyola’s Summer ETHOS Program. The experience— led by Elizabeth Wakefield, Sierra Webber and Bill Rochlin — was designed to provide research opportunities and professional development for the students involved.
ETHOS students arrived at Loyola University Chicago’s campus on June 24th for orientation week. Here, they got to know their peers and mentors, toured research labs, met with the ETHOS staff, explored campus, attended information sessions, played neuroscience themed games and more.
After orientation, lab work commenced, and students were introduced to many new methods of research and neuroscience concepts. Students were paired with a partner, and each duo was given an individual lab mentor. For six weeks, ETHOS students collected data and analyzed their findings with the help of Loyola faculty and undergrads. Specializing in different topics, each lab provided students with a unique experience and focused on different aspects of neuroscience and research. One lab, for example, studied dopamine interactions and the reward system in the brain, while another group focused on memory overlap in PTSD.
When discussing her research experience, ETHOS student Arzoo Rozani said, “It was very inspiring and I know that’s what I’m going to take away and try to pursue into college.
Emily Macedo, another ETHOS student, said, “This research lab opportunity made me open my eyes to wanting to be involved in research.”
The ETHOS program also provided a space for participating students to meet friends and make connections with peers and staff members that will last far into their futures. Multiple students said their favorite part of the lab was working with their lab partners, middle schoolers and Loyola undergraduates.
“They were genuinely excited to share their knowledge and talk about their experiences with others,” project manager Sierra Webber said. “Particularly with the middle school students, encouraging them that learning can be fun and exciting.”
Neer-peer mentoring at Neuroscience and Society Day was another large part of the summer ETHOS program. Every Friday, students engaged in professional development workshops and prepared their stations for Neuroscience and Society Day.
ETHOS student Phoebe Stein said her experience in the program allowed her to deepen her love for STEM. “I've been interested in a science job basically my entire life,” Stein said. “This kind of solidified it.”
On September 19th on the Loyola campus, the ETHOS program hosted 18 middle school students from McCutcheon middle school for Neuroscience and Society Day. During the event, the ETHOS students ran five different stations, all centering around different neuroscientific concepts that the middle schoolers may be experiencing in their daily lives. The stations were created to combine education and fun, involving trivia, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, a ball toss game and more.
The Summer ETHOS Program wrapped after Neuroscience and Society Day with parting words and congratulations from Wakefield, Webber and Rochlin to the high school students.
“This past year, working with high school students has been an incredible experience. I've seen them gain confidence in themselves and take real pride in what they have learned,” Webber said.
View more photos featuring moments across the ETHOS experience here.