Stephanie Velez ’26, a senior student majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Neuropsychology , accelerated her and her peers’ academic and professional careers with an award-winning presentation during the 2025 International Forum on Research Excellence.
Centered on the theme “Science and Society: Crafting a Vision for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” the conference was organized by Sigma Xi, the international honor society of science and engineering and one of the oldest and largest scientific organizations in the world.
A participant in the Old Westbury Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Sciences program, also known as OW STEAM, Velez earned two awards during the conference in the Physiology and Immunology and Biology and Biotechnology categories for research, titled “The Effects of Neurodevelopmental Lead Exposure on The Formation of Prefrontal Cortical Neural Networks,”. Through her awards, she earned a free one-year membership and induction into the prestigious Sigma Xi Research Society.
Velez’s research, completed under the direction and mentorship of Lorenz Neuwirth, professor of Psychology and researcher in the SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, was presented in the international competition amongst undergraduate early-career researchers.
Her work was based on new research analyzing the effects of exposure to low levels of lead poisoning on Long-Evans rats. Through the research, Velez discovered that even low levels of lead exposure after birth can harm the shape of prefrontal cortex neurons in these rats. The lead caused their dendrites to shrink, reducing the number and strength of their synaptic connections and limiting the formation of neural networks.
These findings suggest that postnatal lead exposure could contribute in part to sensory integration disorders and intellectual disability related to attention, working memory, impulsivity, and psycho-social-emotional judgement, as well as difficulties with planning and organizational goal-directed behaviors.
Conducting research at Old Westbury has allowed Velez to dive into neuropsychology, gaining meaningful in-depth experience in the field.
“This experience allowed me to realize my talents, develop new skills and pursue a graduate degree in Neuroscience and Behavior,” said Velez, who is also supported through the campus' Collegiate Science and Technology Entry program. “I have become passionate about conducting neuroscience research and being able to teach other upcoming students the benefits from these opportunities to help them start doing research early.”
A student, research scholar and athlete – Velez competes on both the Panther women’s volleyball and lacrosse teams -- Velez’s active involvement in the Old Westbury community through campus engagement and research has defined her as a leader.
“Velez is very dedicated, self-disciplined, thoughtful, critical and passionate about each thing she engages in daily,” said Neuwirth. “Velez really is a ‘one-stop-shop’ of what it means to seek out and embody the Old Westbury experience.”
Although Velez gave a solo presentation, the work included notable contributions from fellow Biological Science majors and recent graduates Camryn Friedberg ’26, Sabrina Johnson ’28, Nayeli Vicioso ’25, Aisha Hameed ’29 and Able Monichan ’25.
Vicioso gained substantial experience in histology working on Velez's now-internationally recognized project. An OW STEAM and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program alumna, Vicioso became passionate about learning and practicing applied-learning skills.
Neuwirth trained her in histological techniques in preparing and cutting brain tissues. After graduation, Vicioso continued to hone her skills and pursued classes to become a state certified histotechnologist.
“Although I have not yet started a formal job in histotechnology, the hands-on experience I’ve gained in tissue processing, embedding, cryosectioning and staining, and slide preparation has strengthened my attention to detail, precision, and understanding of laboratory workflows,” said Vicioso. “My goal is to apply the knowledge and technical experience I’ve developed in histology toward a future career in the medical field, where I can support diagnostic processes and continue building a professional career.”
Vicioso expects to complete her program in Summer 2026 with future aspirations to work in a pathology department in local hospitals like Northwell Health.
“I could not be prouder of these talented women in STEM who take full advantage of these applied research opportunities that Old Westbury has to offer,” said Neuwirth. “They put their free time into the lab not just to learn conceptual theory but rather applied workforce-ready skills and become highly competitive applicants for both graduate degree programs and prospective employment.”