Jamaican-born scientist Monique Mendes is the first Black woman to receive a doctorate in neuroscience at the University of Rochester. According to Democrat & Chronicle , the 27-year-old defended her thesis this past summer and began her post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University in September, where she conducts research using novel imaging techniques to better understand how learning and memory are impacted by specific cells called glia. I virtually defended my PhD thesis! I made history today as the 1st Black woman to graduate with a Neuroscience PhD at my institution. Thank you Ania, Thank you mentors, Thank you DSPAN, Thank you @URNeuroscience , and Thank you to my family. #BlackInNeuro @BlackInNeuro pic.twitter.com/7dTCf33Rh2 — Monique Mendes, PhD 🇯🇲 🇺🇸 (@monique_ja44) July 31, 2020 “I feel empowered, I feel excited,” said Mendes. “I’m just happy that I was able to get a Ph.D. and to show other Black women that it is possible, and they can succeed.” In sixth grade, Mendes’...