From competitive athlete to renowned neuroscientist and digital educator, Jordan Harrod's journey exemplifies the intersection of athletics, medicine, and artificial intelligence. Her early experiences as a student athlete in figure skating and fencing were interrupted by injuries leading to chronic pain, which ultimately sparked her passion for biomedical engineering and healthcare innovation. "My personal journey as a patient inspired me to develop tools that could assist others facing similar health challenges," Harrod reflects.
Harrod pursued her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at Cornell University, where her academic trajectory took a pivotal turn during a summer research opportunity at Stanford University. There, she delved into machine learning applications for MRI reconstruction, despite having no prior experience in the field. "I immersed myself in machine learning with no background, absorbing knowledge rapidly," she explains. "I discovered a fascination for data manipulation and analysis, and machine learning was emerging as the next frontier in technology, making it an exhilarating path to pursue."
Seeking to harmonize her interests in patient care, biomedical engineering, and machine learning, Harrod discovered the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST). This interdisciplinary program, which integrates clinical rotations and medical coursework with research, perfectly aligned with her aspirations. "I recognized that clinical perspectives are often undervalued in research settings, and I was determined to incorporate this understanding into my work," Harrod states. "My objective has always been to ensure my research findings have practical, real-world applications."
Exploring Neural Pathways to Decode Consciousness
Currently, Harrod collaborates with distinguished professors Emery Brown, an anesthesiology expert, and Ed Boyden, a leading neuroscientist, to investigate the intricate relationship between brain regions and consciousness. Their groundbreaking research aims to unravel how the brain functions during various states of consciousness and how these states influence pain signal processing. By examining arousal patterns in mice and employing sophisticated statistical tools to analyze extensive datasets of activated brain regions, the team hopes to revolutionize current understanding of anesthesia mechanisms.
"Our research represents a significant stride toward personalizing anesthesia protocols for individual patients," Harrod explains.
Since embarking on her neuroscience journey, Harrod has been continually astonished by the vast uncharted territories of brain research still awaiting exploration. Beyond understanding biological mechanisms, she emphasizes the necessity of establishing fundamental cause-and-effect relationships. "We're still uncovering how various arousal centers collaborate to regulate consciousness, or the consequences of deactivating specific centers," Harrod notes. "I don't believe I fully comprehended the scale or complexity of this challenge initially, particularly regarding the translation of our findings to human brains."
"Entering graduate studies without a neuroscience background means every day presents new opportunities for brain-related discoveries. Even after three years in the field, I remain amazed by how much remains to be uncovered."
Digital Science Communication and Policy Advocacy
Beyond her laboratory work, Harrod dedicates significant time to making scientific research accessible to the public and advocating for evidence-based science policies. She serves as the chair of the Graduate Student Council's External Affairs Board, functions as an Early Career Policy Ambassador for the Society for Neuroscience, and co-founded the MIT Science Policy Review, which publishes peer-reviewed analyses of various science policy issues.
"The majority of scientific research receives public funding through taxation, yet most citizens remain unaware of the research their tax dollars support," Harrod elaborates. "I aimed to create platforms that help people understand how different regulations and policies impact their daily lives."
In addition to her policy advocacy, Harrod maintains a robust online presence. She contributes articles to Massive Science and has gained recognition for her popular YouTube channel, where she posts weekly videos examining the various ways artificial intelligence integrates into our everyday lives. What began as a casual hobby three years ago has evolved into a thriving community of 70,000 subscribers. "I noticed a lack of accessible content discussing AI and machine learning in an approachable manner, so I decided to create it myself for enjoyment," she shares. "It has proven to be an excellent method for staying connected with broader developments in the field."
Harrod's most viewed video explores how artificial intelligence is utilized in online exam proctoring systems. Amidst the pandemic-induced shift to remote learning, countless students have relied on her content to understand how AI proctoring technologies detect academic dishonesty. "As my audience expands, it's been incredibly rewarding to read comments from viewers discovering AI applications they had previously never encountered," she says. "These platforms have also facilitated fascinating conversations with individuals I might never have connected with otherwise."
Looking ahead, Harrod aspires to establish a career that balances laboratory research, policy advocacy, and science communication. She intends to continue leveraging her scientific expertise to dispel misinformation and present accurate narratives to the public. "I've encountered numerous articles with headlines that could mislead readers who only skim the content," she observes. "For instance, preliminary studies conducted on mice might be sensationalized to suggest that mind-reading technology has been perfected, when in reality the research remains in its nascent stages."
"Since launching my YouTube channel, I've recognized the importance of providing people with realistic expectations about technological capabilities and their practical implications in daily life. The public deserves comprehensive information to make informed decisions about the technologies that affect them," she concludes.
