Bessie Maria Reina Figueroa
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Intern Researcher
Wheaton College Massachusetts
Norton, MA
06.2025 - 08.2025
- Managed surgical suite operations and rat care, performing brain surgeries for cannula placements, perfusions, and delicate brain extractions.
- Prepared brain tissue for cryostat sectioning, performing Nissl and WFA staining, and organizing atlas levels of the rat brain to verify cannula placements for data collection.
- Executed Elevated Plus Maze assays, recording and analyzing behavioral tracking data via ANY-maze software to assess rat behavior in research studies.
- Cleaned and prepared lab equipment for solutions, specimens, and samples.
- Conducted literature reviews to identify appropriate data sources and communicated key study findings to the research team.
Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator
Wheaton College Massachusetts
Norton, United States
01.2023 - 05.2026
- Facilitated structured dialogues on privilege, identity, and social justice to enhance cross-cultural understanding.
- Guided participants through discussions on complex social issues, promoting active listening and empathy.
- Collaborated with co-facilitators to create discussion formats that fostered deeper engagement and understanding.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Neuroscience
Wheaton College
Massachusetts, United States05-2026
Study Abroad Program - Health Policy And Prevention Strategies
Emerson College European Center
Well05-2025
Study Abroad Program - Psychopharmacology, Neuroimaging, Neuroplasticity, Public Mental Health
Danish Institute For Study Abroad
Copenhagen, Denmark05-2025
Skills
- Laboratory techniques
- Experimental design
- Data gathering and organization
- Literature review
- Statistical analysis
- Research ethics
- Critical thinking
- Team collaboration
- Cross-cultural communication
- Attention to detail
Technical Skills
- Data, Image & Neuroimaging Analysis: SPSS, ImageJ, SPM (Foundational exposure)
- Behavioral Tracking & Video Coding: ANY-maze, Solomon Coder
Grants
Projects for Peace Grant ($10,000) — 2024
Awarded highly competitive funding to design and execute ApapachArte, a mental health intervention in El Salvador. Cultivated mental health awareness and enhanced student wellbeing by partnering with a certified professional to teach practical art therapy techniques, utilizing accessible, everyday materials, to improve emotional regulation for both students and faculty within high school institutions.
Certification
- Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research | CITI Program
- Working with the IACUC | CITI Program
- Working with Rats in Research Settings | CITI Program
- Reducing Pain and Distress in Laboratory Mice and Rats | CITI Program
- Laboratory Safety | SafetySkills
- Chemical Safety | SafetySkills
- Hazard Communication | SafetySkills
Languages
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Intern Researcher
Wheaton College Massachusetts
06.2025 - 08.2025
Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator
Wheaton College Massachusetts
01.2023 - 05.2026
Bachelor of Science - Neuroscience
Wheaton College
Study Abroad Program - Health Policy And Prevention Strategies
Emerson College European Center
Study Abroad Program - Psychopharmacology, Neuroimaging, Neuroplasticity, Public Mental Health
Danish Institute For Study Abroad