Ravid Inbar, 2023

Like many iCons students, Ravid Inbar ’23 (Biomedicine/BioSystems track) spent his summer gaining valuable experience by participating in a research internship, but unlike most, he had the unique opportunity to conduct his research in Israel.

Ravid is a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Psychology double major with a focus on Neurobiology. Embodying the mission of iCons, Ravid chose to double major so he can study both the biological causes and effects of neurological disorders, as well as the behavioral presentations. He spent his summer doing just that in Israel. Through a program called Onward Israel, which provides a stipend to Jewish students so that they can live in Israel for two and a half months while interning, Ravid was able to work in a neuroscience lab in the city of Rehovot.

While in Rehovot conducted his research in the Kawashima lab in the Weizmann Institute of Science working with zebrafish. He was studying their ability to adapt to their environment and which particular neurons are involved in those processes.

Not only did Ravid learn new research techniques, such as analyzing data sets with Python, but he also got the opportunity to network with scientists within the international research community, all while speaking Hebrew.

Ravid is also a Crowley-Nowick Scholar. The award recognizes iCons students with a strong sense of community and leadership within the iCons program. Ravid plans to spend the rest of his time at UMass Amherst fostering a stronger connection across all four cohorts of iCons students. Ravid wants to “bring a new meaning in term of community” to the program, he said. He will also work on fundraising for the senior class gift.

Outside of class, Ravid is a certified EMT and is a leader in the student organization, Student Alliance for Israel (SAFI) on campus.

Ravid is planning to graduate in December 2022 and hopes to work for a year or two before pursuing an advanced degree. He wants to combine his interests in biochemistry and psychology while also learning more about the business side of STEM, a perfect way to apply everything he has learned in iCons!

Profile posted in 2022.