My name is Nirja Trivedi and I’m a junior from Seattle interested in the intersections between health, technology and business. At Duke, I’m the co-president of P.A.S.H., a writer for the Standard and a member of B.O.W.

Nirja Trivedi blocking the sun with her hand

Nirja Trivedi

During high school, I considered liberal arts and scientific research to be separate disciplines: if technology was my strength then philosophy must be my weakness. In my two years at Duke, I have experienced the duality of these fields through participating in the Global Health Focus Program, developing my own research projects, working with professors and now applying to write for Duke Research. Science truly is for everyone; no matter your field, interests or opinion. Research and discovery are conduits for every mind. Research isn’t just the forefront of innovation, it paves the way for the future.

Growing up with a passion for service and influenced by my family in the medical field, the research I leaned towards combined aspects of community and health. My senior project in high school examined traumatic brain injury (TBI) in youth sports, which provided the research-based approach for designing my own Concussion Prevention Program. After my first semester, I wanted to discover what kinds of research I wanted to fully integrate myself in. I began research with the Duke Institute of Brain Sciences and spent my summer volunteering for the Richman Lab, which examines the effects of psychosocial factors like discrimination, social hierarchies and power. After I declared my Neuroscience major, I spent the year assisting in studies at the Autism Clinic, sparking my interest in technology.

Nirja Trivedi on a mountain top

Nirja Trivedi on a mountain top.

Now going into my third year, my interests in scientific discovery have only grown. From insight into the human psyche and social economic behavior to medical advances, I love the complexity of the human mind and how it fuels innovation.

My unrestricted interests guided me to the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate as well as this writing position, both which foster an environment of curiosity and inspiration. Through writing, I hope to connect with faculty, discover areas of research I never knew existed, widen my breadth of scientific knowledge, and connect students to research opportunities. The threshold of knowledge is where you draw the line – why not make it infinite?

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