Education:

2016 – 2020: Fordham University, B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience

2020 – Present: University of Connecticut, Non-Degree Seeking Student in Computer Science

Honors and Awards:

  • 2020 Fordham University, Excellence in Neuroscience (Awarded to a neuroscience major at graduation)
  • 2019 Sigma Xi Student Research Conference, Best Presentation in Engineering
  • 2017-2020 Dean’s List Scholar (Maintain a GPA of above a 3.6 for the Fall and Spring)
  • Fordham Dean’s Scholarship (Students among top 10% of admitted Fordham Students)
  • E. Gerald Corrigan Endowed Scholarship (Awarded to Dean’s Scholars showing academic merit and financial need)
  • Paul Guenther Endowed Scholarship (Awarded to Dean’s Scholars showing academic merit and financial need)
  • Sigma Xi member

Grants

  • 2020 Spring Fordham Undergraduate Research Grant
  • 2019 McCartney Fellowship Award (Selected from all the Fordham Research Grant funded students)
  • 2019 Summer Fordham Undergraduate Research Grant
  • 2018 Fall Fordham Undergraduate Research Grant

Conference Presentations and Book Chapters

  • Roy, A. K., Ferrara, E., Keesey, R., & Davis, K., FMRI and Other Neuroimaging Methods. (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818697-8.00215-6
  • Keesey, R., Perrett G., Holler, S. (2019, November). Integrating EMG Sensors into a 3D Printed Prosthetic Hand. Poster presented at Sigma Xi Student Research Conference, Madison, WI.
  • Keesey, R., Perrett G., Holler, S. (2019, November). Myoelectric Control of a 3D Printed Prosthetic Hand. Poster presented at Rochester Maker Faire, Rochester, NY.

Research Experience

October 2021 – Present:

Chemistry Laboratory Technician – Haverford College Chemistry (Dr. Alex Norquist)

  • Designed and constructed an open-source environmental chamber to test the long-term stability of perovskite crystals.
  • Synthesized perovskite crystals with high throughput robotic workflows and benchtop-scale synthesis.

June 2020 – October 2021:

Research Assistant, Schrier Lab – Fordham Chemistry (Dr. Joshua Schrier)

  • Utilized a finite volume approximation of Fick’s 2nd Law in MATLAB to develop a mathematical model of liquid diffusion in solvent-systems for the Robot-Accelerated Perovskite Investigation and Discovery (RAPID-2) project.
  • Constrained and optimized parameters to fit mathematical models to experimental data.
  • Created predictive algorithms that suggest solvent mixtures with a high likelihood of crystal growth.

September 2018 – May 2020:

Project Principal Investigator, Engineering and Design Lab – Fordham Physics (Dr. Stephen Holler)

  • Proposed and secured funding for independent research of a 3D printed prosthetic hand under the Fordham Undergraduate Research Grant and the McCartney Fellowship Award.
  • Created a tendon-based pulley system to drive prosthetic hand motion, and a three-channel electrode array to collect EMG data.
  • Developed a machine learning classification algorithm for myoelectric spectral data in MATLAB. This model was capable of 92% accurate classification across 13 degrees of freedom.

January 2018 – August 2020:

Research Assistant, Pediatric Emotion Regulation Lab (PERL) – Fordham Psychology (Dr. Amy Roy)

  • Coauthored a chapter on neuroimaging techniques, focusing on the accessible explanation of the principles underlying MRI and diffusion tensor imaging.
  • Performed structural MRI segmentation, error analysis and correction in FreeSurfer.
  • Coordinated database management and data entry for the Temper Outburst Follow Up and the Temper Outburst Behavioral studies.

December 2016 – August 2019:

Research Assistant, Smith Lab – Fordham Chemistry (Dr. Paul Smith)

  • Coordinated collection, analysis, and storage of biological samples from the 3D Youth Research Lab and the PERL lab.
  • Conducted competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for various studies.
  • Helped develop procedures for cortisol extraction from human hair in preparation for bioassays.

October 2016 – May 2020:

Research Assistant, 3D Youth Research Lab– Fordham Psychology (Dr. Lindsay Hoyt)

  • Assisted with the preparation, collection and recording of biological and qualitative data.
  • Analyzed and evaluated Qualtrics Surveys.
  • Trained other research assistants in Competitive ELISA theory and practice.

Work Experience:

January 2017 – August 2018

IT Technician – Fordham University ITCC

  • Responsible for troubleshooting and assisting customers with technology issues
  • Aided in the Campus wide transfer to Multi Factor Authentication
  • Directed and recorded client-side issues so that they could be resolved by appropriate technicians

September 2016 – January 2017

America Reads and Counts (ARC) Tutor – PS 57

  • Taught students with learning disabilities the fundamentals of literacy and mathematics
  • Graded and filed classroom papers and assisted in student management
  • Helped underperforming students complete homework assignments

Skills and Abilities

  • Proficient in MATLAB and Python.
  • Proficient in 3D printer operation, maintenance, and design.
  • Experienced in circuit design, sensor analysis and servo control.
  • Proficient in CAD with Shapr3D, Fusion 360 and Meshmixer.
  • Experience in structural MRI postprocessing and editing with FreeSurfer.
  • Proficient in hormone analysis through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  • Database management with Microsoft Access.

Relevant Coursework

Calculus I, II, and III, Ordinary Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, General Physics I and II, General Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, Biochemistry, Data Mining, Neuroscience, Systems Neuroscience