Epilepsy is one of the most misunderstood disorders, shrouded with stigma, and, in some parts of the world still associated with the supernatural. This talk attempts to demystify this disorder and addresses both the clinical appearance of epilepsy (what a seizure looks like) and what happens in the brain during a seizure. Through the course of the presentation, the audience will learn how to recognize a seizure and how to provide the proper first aid for someone who has epilepsy. I will then discuss how seizures arise from the brain and the efforts to understand this mechanism better to provide better therapies for patients suffering from epilepsy.

About Stephanie Rogers

Stephanie is a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Gyorgy Buzsaki studying how epileptic brain activity arises and can be altered. She graduated summa cum laude from University of Pennsylvania, where she did five years of research on the molecular changes associated with seizures and founded a group to raise awareness about recognizing and treating seizures. She is passionate about facilitating conversations about and increasing the accessibility of scientific discoveries. In addition to being involved with outreach programs such as NOGN (Neuroscience Outreach Group at NYU) and Know Science, she also mentors young women interested in pursuing careers in STEM and is a mentor community leader for the 1000 Girls 1000 Futures program at the New York Academy of Sciences.

These talks are geared toward an adult audience. Advance registration recommended. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Know Science is excited to partner with Columbia's Zuckerman Institute. As scientists who are a part of Know Science, we are excited to disseminate our knowledge and expertise through engagement with the public — the Zuckerman Institute’s mission and commitment to public advocacy provides us with the perfect platform for our speakers. Come discover cutting edge research in neuroscience!