Splash Biography

JESSICA SCHMERLER, Yale senior studying Neurobiology

Major: MCDB

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: 2017

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Jessica is a senior majoring in biology, with a specific interest in neurological diseases and mental illness. She is a freelance writer for Scientific American MIND, and her other activities include various on-campus scientific magazines and graphics work for her residential college.

Past Classes

(Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

E2111: No Body is Perfect: Eating Disorders 101 in Sprout Fall 16 (Oct. 01 - 15, 2016)

There are common misconceptions about eating disorders and what causes them. This course will delve into the three major categories of eating disorders, plus some lesser-known forms, and explain what they are, how to recognize the symptoms, and how they are treated.

X1919: The Psychology and Biology of Eating Disorders in Splash Spring 16 (Apr. 02, 2016)

Common misconceptions about eating disorders are that they are all about losing weight, that people who have them are self-absorbed, or that the food-related behaviors are voluntary. This course will discuss the various types of eating disorders, with a specific focus on psychological and biological symptoms and treatment.

E1890: The Psychology and Biology of Eating Disorders in Sprout Spring 16 (Feb. 13 - 27, 2016)

Common misperceptions about eating disorders are that they are all about losing weight, that people who have them are self-absorbed, or that the food-related behaviors are voluntary. This course will discuss the various types of eating disorders, with a specific focus on psychological and biological symptoms and treatment.

E1666: A History of Human Trafficking: Slavery to Today in Sprout Fall 15 (Oct. 03 - 17, 2015)

Human trafficking is a huge problem facing governments in countries around the globe, and it often appears in ways you would not expect. The girl "turning tricks" on the street corner could be just as much a victim as a worker illegally brought here from another country or a child taken from his home and forced to serve in an army. And they are all just as much victims as the slaves who have been traded and sold for centuries, because that's what human trafficking is: a modern form of slavery.

F491: All About Food in Splash Summer 13 (Jul. 06 - 27, 2013)

This four-week class will cover everything and anything concerning food. The subjects considered address the psychology, biology and politics of food, with topics ranging from nutrition and obesity to agriculture and advertising.

S261: Pluripotency: How Stem Cells Became (and might just save) Us in Splash Spring 13 (Apr. 06, 2013)

At the forefront of modern biomedical science is the study of stem cells. This course will cover the history and future of stem cell research, the basic science behind their function and their diverse applications across the fields of regenerative medicine, zoology, and disease therapy.

S192: Pluripotency: How Stem Cells Became (and might just save) Us in Splash Fall 12 (Oct. 20, 2012)