Dr. Costa grew up in the Brazilian Amazon, in the city of Belém. He obtained his BSc in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Pará, in his hometown. He later received a Masters degree in Physiology from the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, and a Doctoral degree from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Goethe University, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Dr. Costa then joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse for his postdoc, where he worked on how dopamine signaling and orbitofrontal cortex activity shape latent learning and the construction of cognitive maps.

Dr. Costa has received several recognitions for his work, including a K99/R00 pathway to independence award from the NIDA/NIH, a BBRF NARSAD Young Investigator Award, and being selected as an Allen Institute Next Generation Leader. 

In 2024 Dr. Costa joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an Assistant Professor with a primary appointment in the Department of Psychology (College of Arts and Sciences), and secondary appointments at the Department of Neurobiology (Heersink School of Medicine) and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (School of Engineering). 

Dr. McFerrin grew up in Pasadena, Maryland, before moving to Huntsville, Alabama as a teen with a life-long dedication to science. After high school he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from UAH, studying biochemistry and protein crystallography. Seeking an advanced degree, Mike found his true passion in neuroscience, ultimately earning his PhD from UAB studying normal astrocytes and volume regulation in malignant glioblastomas. Following a brief post-doc at UBC in Vancouver, British Colombia, he returned to UAB to work on projects ranging from Parkinson’s disease to age-related macular degeneration. Mike has enjoyed two-week trips to Japan and France, but usually enjoys cooking, puzzles, crafts, and sharing the occasional cheesecake with friends.

Ritik Naresh Raut grew up in India, in the city of Nagpur. He obtained his Bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering from Nagpur University in his hometown. He later earned a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 2024.

Ritik has gained professional experience as a Software Developer at Mindbase Software Solutions Pvt Ltd, where he worked on software development and engineering solutions. He also worked as a Teaching Assistant for a Machine Learning course under Professor Wang at UAB and as a Data Analyst at NVL LABS UAB under Professor Nuria Vendrell Ilopis, contributing to research in neuroprosthetic learning while working with the NWB (Neurodata Without Borders) format.

In 2025, Ritik joined the K.M. Costa lab, where he is engaged in cutting-edge research at the intersection of computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and data science.

Ritik’s expertise spans artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and data analysis.  He received multiple certifications, including those from IBM and Stanford Online, and has experience with deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch, as well as databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL. 

Jeff grew up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan where he attended Wayne State University and received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2022. He moved to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2024 to pursue his doctorate in Pharmacology. Jeff found his love of science while working for a biomedical engineering laboratory at Wayne State studying the neuroinflammatory cascades associated with hydrocephalus and looks forward to learning as many techniques associated with neuroscience.

 Hobbies: Cooking, 3D printing, and volunteering

Julia grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They recently graduated with their Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Currently, Julia is pursuing a Master's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience at UAB.

Hobbies: Photography, drawing, and model building. 

Brandon was born In Greensboro, North Carolina and moved around all his life. He has lived in several states in the U.S such as California, Georgia, and Michigan as well as cities in Mexico such as Irapuato, Guanajuato, and Monclova. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology, and hopes to continue my studies in a graduate program in the future. 

Hobbies: photography, learning about video game development, reading, and cooking. 

Aryona grew up in Hoover, Alabama. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in forensic science and African American studies. She is also a Resident Assistant (RA) in UAB's Student Housing & Residence Life.

Hobbies: reading, baking, and arts/crafts

Kody is originally from Alabama. He is pursing a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. He is also an Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's student in Multidisciplinary BioMedical Science concentrating in Neuroscience.  

Hobbies: Olympic Weightlifting , board riding ( skateboarding and surfing), drawing/painting.

A lifelong resident of Birmingham, Alabama, Shahin has deep roots in the Iron City and an equally deep passion for science that began early. At 15, he already started working in an chemistry lab, an experience that ignited a love for scientific discovery that continues to drive him today. Now pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in music, Shahin is on a pre-med track with aspirations of working in emergency medicine, where he hopes to combine his scientific foundation with his desire to help others in critical moments. 

Eli is from Birmingham, Alabama. He is majoring in Neuroscience and pursuing a minor in bioinformatics. He is also a student in UAB's Early Medical School Acceptance Program (EMSAP).

Hobbies: playing the piano, solving math puzzles, and gardening.