University of Helsinki

Student interviews: ANNE MANDEL

Best learning experience

Anne Mandel decided to apply to MNEURO, because after studying clinical psychology at the University of Tartu in Estonia, she became interested in how mental abilities are connected with human brain functions. Instead of merely observing human behaviour, she wanted to concentrate on the brain basis of these manifestations.

"The keywords for MNEURO were flexibility and individual approach to every student. This was very important for me as my background was not in biosciences. The flexibility ranged from personal study plan for every student to the possibility to agree with the courses as well as research projects according to ones interests”, says Mandel.

“Such individual approach for each student adds additional demands on the personnel of the programme. These needs were very well met – we received information about courses and conferences of possible interest, but also about those that were lectured in other faculties and neighbouring universities”.

"I am very happy that I was guided to carry out my master´s thesis in professor Riitta Hari´s research group at the Aalto University School of Science and Technology. I addressed the neural basis of an auditory illusion, and learned to apply magnetoencephalography in my thesis project. Support combined with personal responsibility and independence in work made it a pleasant experience for me”, she says.

“This has been the best learning experience in my life”, Mandel says.

Anne has now started her doctoral studies in cognitive science under professor Hari´s supervision. The topic of her PhD thesis is related to neural basis of human social interaction.
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Text and photo: Ulla Lahtinen