EDUCATION

McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CA:                                                                                     Sept ’23 – Present
•   Doctor of Philosophy: Neuroscience
King’s College London (KCL), London, UK:                                                                                          November 2021
• Master of Science: Affective Disorders Classes: Causes and                                                        Pass with Distinction Correlates of Affective Disorders, Understanding Affective Disorders,                                         Cumulative Result: 73 (UK) Research Methods, Challenges in Treating Affective Disorders,
Research Project/Dissertation Module.
Lafayette College, Easton, USA:                                                                                                                       May 2018
• Bachelor of Science: Psychology Classes: Neuroscience; Perception;                                             Final Year GPA: 3.6
General: Biology, Chemistry, Physics; Mood Disorders; Quantitative Methods; Cognitive Psychology II; Comparative Psychology; Design & Analysis; Abnormal Psychology; Educational Psychology; Calculus I & II.
The Masters School, New York, USA:                                                                                                               June 2014
•  High School Diploma                                                                                                                        Cumulative GPA: 3.3

ACADEMIC HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• Pass with Distinction, Master of Science at King’s College London                                                       Sept ’20 – Oct ‘21
• Dean’s List for Fall Semester at Lafayette College                                                                                    Aug – Dec 2017• O. Hoff Award for “Volunteer of the Year” for “outstanding contribution”                                                              May 2015

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, CA: Graduate Research Assistant                                                   Sept ‘23 – Present
•  Will start conducting research under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Benicio Frey MD PhD as a Neuroscience PhD student by aiding in ongoing research projects and applying to relevant grants in the field of reproductive psychiatry. Will be actively involved in collecting data from willing patients attending the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare.
Koç University Hospital, Istanbul, TR: Graduate Research Assistant                                                        Oct ‘22 – Present
•  Currently working under the advisory of Dr. Deniz Ceylan Tufan Ozalp MD PhD as a Neuroscience PhD student, aiding in the editing and preparation of research focused on neurobiological correlates of mood disorders, designing my own research at the intersection of mood disorders and reproductive psychiatry, and gaining clinical experience in the Psychiatric Unit.
Dept. of Psychiatry at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, TR: Graduate Research Assistant    March ‘22 – Sept’22
• Worked under the advisory of Prof. Nese Direk Tecirli MD in designing a detailed questionnaire to collect data on women  with Bipolar Disorder at the Mood Disorders Unit, regarding their reproductive health and its relationship with mood episodes.
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience at KCL, UK: MSc Researcher                                Jan ‘21 – Present
• Thoroughly researched mood disorders to perform a comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review on the comorbidity of Premenstrual Syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder with other adult mood disorders.
• Currently preparing manuscript for publication under the following citation: Bengi, D., Strawbridge, B., Drorian, M., Juruena,
M. F., Yalin, N., (2022); A systematic review on the comorbidity of premenstrual dysphoric disorder or premenstrual syndrome with other mood disorders: What do we know so far? Journal to be confirmed, In progress.
Koç University Hospital, Istanbul, TR: Research Assistant: Part-Time                                                         Jan – May 2019
• Aided the Psychology Dept. in collecting data to examine the relationship between depression & overgeneral memory.
• Managed participant data on Qualtrics, became informed on depression and autobiographical memory interviews.
Lafayette College, Dept. of Psychology, Easton, PA: Research Assistant: Part-Time                    Aug – Dec 2016 & 2017
• Assisted Dr. Susan Wenze in her efforts to collect data on Mood & Coping Strategies through Ecological Momentary Assessment. Additionally, designed, collected, and analyzed data for a study on human cognition for an upper level laboratory course under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Talarico.

LEADERSHIP, NON-PROFIT & CORPORATE EXPERIENCE

King’s College London, London, UK: Student Representative of Affective Disorders ’21 Cohort        Oct ‘20 – ‘21
•     Communicated student needs to course leaders; helped create an uninterrupted and cohesive educational environment in supporting the conduct of remote education and providing aid in times of technical difficulty.
•     Encouraged students to fill out course evaluations useful to lecturers; created polls to gather feedback.
Nobel Pharmaceuticals Ltd: Junior Specialist: Corporate Communications & HR                              Sept ‘19 – ‘20
•    Supported the strategic positioning and positive development of Nobel Ilaç to enhance company’s reputation.
•    Assumed all peripheral roles regarding employer brand management, worked with media agencies to ensure the fulfillment of the HR Department’s carefully crafted vision for the employer brand.
•    Contributed to Nobel’s company branding and social impact initiatives to attract talent and support company image.
•    Enhanced and developed new content for corporate website. Helped manage social media accounts.
Bengi Professional Development Consultancy Ltd: Leadership Trainee                                           Feb – Aug 2019
•    Supported the preparation of training materials and presentations used in cultural change management projects.
•    Assisted in the organization of workshops and training exercises; attended and provided support in trainings.
The Landis Center, Easton, PA: Community Engagement Coordinator                                August – October 2018
•    Coordinated student organizations to develop community-conscious projects with local partners.
•    Worked on special events identified in collaboration with the Director and the Community Partnerships Coordinator.
•    Developed and delivered educational materials and training sessions, assisted in effective data management practices, and matched the interests of student groups with the needs of community organizations.
Ravago Petrochemicals Production Inc.: Human Resources Intern                                           June – August 2017
•    Gathered information on uprising talent development activities and participated in meetings with different vendors.
•    Supported HR team in working on industry benchmarks for talent attraction and development.
•    Analyzed market practice on recruitment tools such as personality inventories and psychometric assessments.
The Landis Center, Lafayette College: M.O.S.A.I.C. Program Coordinator,                        January 2016 – May 2018
•     Worked under the guidance of the Director of The Landis Center, to develop and foster leadership skills related to creating a positive impact in the Easton community.
•     Attended MOSAIC Staff Retreats, formulated S.M.A.R.T. goals, held office hours and coordinated volunteers.
•     Organized educational training sessions and packets related to community centers.

ACTIVITIES/INTERESTS

•     Volunteering, Community Engagement and Service                                                                                             2014-2019
•     Study Abroad Consulting, College Essay & Application Mentoring                                              May 2018 – Present
•     Playing Guitar and Singing                                                                                                            Oct 2019 – Present
•     Pilates                                                                                                                                          April 2021 – Present