Melinda Somers

I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Entrepreneurship. During my time at UNC, I worked as a research assistant in the Social Neuroscience and Health Lab with Drs. Keely Muscatell and Gabriella Alvarez, where I conducted an honors thesis examining the effects of pharmacologically targeting neuroinflammation on perceived stress in chronically stressed adults. My recent work explores factors that prospectively predict costly altruism. Broadly, I aim to pursue a Ph.D. in social psychology, investigating the intersections of prosocial behavior, empathy, and wellbeing.