Narmin Mekawy

Narmin Mekawy is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Neuroscience in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook University, where she conducts her dissertation research in the laboratory of Dr. Joshua Dubnau. She is a Turner Dissertation Fellow and Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Scholar, and a former NIH-T32 IMSD Fellow. Narmin earned her M.S. in Neuroscience and Developmental Disabilities and her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Psychology from the City University of New York, College of Staten Island. Prior to her doctoral studies, she accumulated five years of neuroscience research experience, which influenced her commitment to advancing knowledge.

At Stony Brook, Narmin has taken on leadership positions that focus on representing and supporting graduate students. She serves as a Graduate Student Organization Department Senator, a member of the Judiciary Committee, and a Faculty Senate Graduate Representative. In these roles, she advocates for graduate student needs in university-wide decision-making. She is also dedicated to mentorship, teaching pre-college students through the Science Technology Entry Program (STEP), where she supports students from underrepresented backgrounds and encourages their participation in STEM and health professions.

Narmin contributes significantly to graduate student life and community building. She serves as Secretary and Managing Editor of the SBU Graduate Arts & Sciences Magazine, where her leadership helped guide the publication to multiple university awards, including Graduate Club of the Year and the Student Life Media Programming Award for 2024–2025. For her contributions, she received the Student Media Council Leadership Award. She also co-organized the BRIDGES Conference, which brought together graduate students across disciplines from the sciences and the arts and was recognized with the Student Life Collaborative Program Award. Through these initiatives, Narmin has worked to elevate the visibility of graduate student achievements and to foster collaboration across fields.

Outside of Stony Brook, Narmin is the co-founder and current President of the Better Education Foundation (BEF), a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing educational and health inequities associated with economic inequality. On campus, has organized student-led initiatives supporting global humanitarian causes, including relief efforts for families in Gaza. She is also passionate about strengthening public trust in science and has participated in numerous outreach activities, including departmental and community-based science events. In her free time, Narmin enjoys singing, baking, spending time with family and friends, playing video games, human-rights activism and volunteerism. Following the completion of her PhD, Narmin is interested in science policy but also intends to pursue a career in academic research, continuing her commitment to service and advocacy.