Faculty Featurette
Patricia (Trish) Zornio
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This month we had the privilege of interviewing Patricia (Trish) Zornio who is a CLAS Lecturer in Psychology specializing in behavioral neuroscience. Originally from New Hampshire, she’s made Colorado her home now for the last several years. She’s also an announced candidate for the Senate in 2020 and a performing pianist, singer and songwriter.
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Tell us what initially attracted you to the field of behavioral neuroscience.
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Ever since I can remember I always found the brain incredibly interesting — it seemed to hold the answers to everything I didn’t yet understand. As a kid, I used to stay after biology class to do extra brain dissections, and I even asked my parents for an anatomy model for Christmas one year. I grew up in rural New Hampshire and still remember in 6th grade when I told my guidance counselor I wanted to be a neurosurgeon, he told me I should pick something more appropriate for someone like me… I wasn’t sure what he meant--I was a straight A student--but nonetheless, as a young girl that really stuck with me and I dropped neuroscience altogether. It wasn’t until my junior year of college when some professors in cognitive and biological psychology saw I was doing really well that they encouraged me to study neuroscience and go to graduate school. I remember feeling really timid about it at first, but with their encouragement I was able to overcome some of the doubt that had been instilled in me as a kid, and by age 20 I was accepted into graduate school. I’m still really grateful for all my professors who believed in me, and it’s part of why I value teaching so much.
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You belong to the Stanford Center for Undiagnosed Diseases—how did you come to join them? What kind of cases have you worked on?
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My work as the Lead Research Coordinator for the Stanford Center for Undiagnosed Diseases was an incredible academic opportunity. The project was part of a national network created under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and I was able to work with some of the top physicians and researchers in the world to advance our understanding of rare and undiagnosed diseases. There were so many unique cases that I was able to be a part of, especially in pediatric neurology, but due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work I was able to expand my repertoire to include everything from cases in cardiology, immunology, genetics, and more. The work was often challenging, especially working with children who have severe disease (some of whom passed away during my time working with them), but it could also be really rewarding when the team would together solve the case and help change the treatment or outcome for the patient. I’m definitely grateful for all I learned during my time at Stanford.
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You’ve been teaching courses in the Psychology Department in research methods & the biological basis of behavior. How does the work in your own research inform your undergraduate instruction?
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As someone who has spent much of my career in translational work (both in clinical and laboratory sciences), one of the things I’m keen to do in my courses is expand the scope of what we can learn about. For example, in understanding behavioral neuroscience, through my personal research experiences I can cover topics ranging from pre-clinical to clinical study, and then since so much of my work has been at the forefront of medical science, I challenge the students to think ahead to what the next breakthroughs might be and how we could work to achieve them. Of course, my hope is that in sharing my diverse range of research experiences, students with their own ranging interests will not only find a topic they like, but also consider new topics they may not have even been aware of.
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You’re also a candidate for the United States Senate. Do you think that your expertise in behavioral neuroscience may give you an edge most candidates or current office holders lack?
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It’s true! In addition to my work at the university, in January 2019 I officially declared my candidacy for the United States Senate in CO 2020. It is very much out of my passion for science and commitment to improve societal outcomes that I began this endeavor. Throughout my career, I’ve worked for the betterment of patients and their families. When I discovered we currently have no scientists on the U.S. Senate science committee, I felt compelled to bring a new type of thinking and expertise to Washington to tackle some of the toughest problems we have ahead. I believe it’s time we grounded our policy-making in facts, reason, and evidence, and work to create thoughtful solutions that will prepare us for the next generations to come. As a researcher who has worked not only in the lab but in the practical application of science, both in healthcare and education, I felt uniquely positioned to take on this challenge. It’s critical the STEM community becomes proactive on issues where we can play a large hand in achieving solutions. I’m excited to be a part of the movement! (Shameless plug: you can learn more at zornio2020.com)
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In addition to all of the above, you’re an accomplished pianist & singer—will you still be able to find time to perform?
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Thanks so much, that’s very kind. Music has always been a passion just as much as science, and I hope to keep this interest (as well as others like rock climbing!). To this end, about 6-7 years ago I created a community music program and I run a few shows a year in partnership with local venues in Boulder County such as eTown Hall, the Boulder Theater, the Laughing Goat, and more. I definitely still perform on occasion, though admittedly I don’t have nearly as much time to practice now that I’m running for the U.S. Senate. In fact, these days my practice time pretty much consists of singing Lady Gaga’s part in “Shallow” while in the car between events. ;)
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