Cayla B
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Oxford University
Expertise
Interdisciplinary or Exploratory Projects, Writing/Research, Music and Recording/Music Production, Journalism, Creative/Fiction and Nonfiction Writing, Psychology/Sociology Research
Bio
I am an interdisciplinary researcher in Science and Religion, bridging the fields of psychology, sociology, biology, and policy. My current research looks at the microbiome, fungi, and trees— how ecosystem resilience can inform policies that empower psychosocial human resilience. As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Oxford since 2020 and a previous Fulbright research scholar, I can offer 7 years of applied research experience conducting studies, writing literature reviews, and managing research design, data collection, analytics, and report writing. To date, I have produced 5 peer-reviewed publications and 15 international conference papers. This experience designing, executing, and interpreting research across various quantitative and qualitative methodologies is grounded in a natural aptitude for telling a story with data. I am also a published poet/essayist (in 50+ literary journals), professional classical pianist (winner of 10 competitions), and recording/performing artist (released 4 studio albums, performed in 400+ concerts). I am an ideal fit for students who want to combine disciplines (like philosophy + policy, biology + art, history + sociology, psychology + music). I am qualified and eager to support interdisciplinary projects across social science subjects and have worked with students on ambitious work in neuroscience, sociology, history, philosophy, policy, creative writing, journalism, and music.Project ideas
Microbial Cities: Mapping the Urban Microbiome and Public Health
This project studies the microbiomes of public transit systems in major cities (e.g. NYC, Tokyo, Nairobi) to map microbial diversity and its impact on urban public health. It also considers socioeconomic disparities in microbial exposure and the concept of the “hygiene gap” in urban planning. Visual Art + Public Display Extension: The microbial data collected from various urban sites can be translated into a visual art installation—each location's microbiome could be rendered as a living “portrait” using petri dish cultures, 3D-printed microbial maps, or digital art based on DNA sequencing data. The project could culminate in a public exhibit displayed in the transit systems themselves, juxtaposing the hidden microbial world with the commuters who unknowingly inhabit it. Interactive elements might include scent, touchable textures, or augmented reality overlays to let viewers “see” invisible ecosystems they interact with daily.
Sound as Resistance: Protest Music in Authoritarian Regimes
This research analyzes how music functions as a tool of resistance under censorship-heavy authoritarian regimes. It compares underground musical movements in Iran, Belarus, and Myanmar, focusing on lyrical content, distribution strategies, and the state's methods of suppression. Fields: Political science, musicology, cultural studies Methodology: Lyric analysis, interviews with artists/exiles, media and censorship policy analysis
Remembering the Forest Neuroscience, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Cognitive Effects of Nature
This interdisciplinary project explores how being in natural environments—especially those imbued with cultural and ecological significance in Indigenous worldviews—affects human cognition, emotion, and memory. Drawing from both Western neuroscience (e.g. attention restoration theory, default mode network studies) and Indigenous epistemologies that view the land as sentient and relational, it investigates how nature exposure alters brain activity and emotional regulation. Fieldwork may involve guided experiences in forests, rivers, or deserts with local Indigenous stewards, combined with EEG or fMRI studies before and after immersion. Key Questions: How does time in “storied landscapes” affect neurobiological markers of stress or creativity? Can Indigenous land-based practices offer models for ecological healing that extend to mental health care? What are the cognitive consequences of environmental loss (deforestation, displacement) for communities whose identities are land-based? Fields: Cognitive neuroscience, environmental psychology, Indigenous studies Methodology: Mixed-methods: neuroimaging, ecological psychology surveys, interviews with Indigenous knowledge holders, cross-cultural analysis