Alaina G. Levine is a professional speaker, STEM career coach and author of “Networking for Nerds” (Wiley) and “Create Your Unicorn Career!” (forthcoming). Her columns have appeared in Science, APS News and Physics Today. Connect with her on LinkedIn @AlainaGLevine.
Alaina G. Levine
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Building a global community: Q&A with Black In Neuro co-founder Clíona Kelly
As Black In Neuro Week 2024 continues through Sunday, Kelly explains how the organization expanded from its humble beginnings as a Slack channel to connect Black neuroscientists across the diaspora.
Building a global community: Q&A with Black In Neuro co-founder Clíona Kelly
By
Alaina G. Levine
2 August 2024 | 6 min read
The Transmitter Launch: Q&A with Kaitlyn Casimo
A self-proclaimed “neuroscientist, engagement manager and theater nerd,” Casimo taps her broad training to engage the public and deliver “elevator pitch” workshops for Allen Institute scientists.
The Transmitter Launch: Q&A with Kaitlyn Casimo
By
Alaina G. Levine
7 June 2024 | 5 min read
The Transmitter Launch: Networking in neuroscience—five ways to find people
These tips spell out how to reach new people for conversation and collaboration.
The Transmitter Launch: Networking in neuroscience—five ways to find people
By
Alaina G. Levine
12 April 2024 | 6 min read
Explore more from The Transmitter
Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.
Null and Noteworthy: Neurons tracking sequences don’t fire in order
Instead, neurons encode the position of sequential items in working memory based on when they fire during ongoing brain wave oscillations—a finding that challenges a long-standing theory.
By
Laura Dattaro
30 June 2025 | 4 min read
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
How to teach this paper: ‘Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia,’ by Liddelow et al. (2017)
Shane Liddelow and his collaborators identified the factors that transform astrocytes from their helpful to harmful form. Their work is a great choice if you want to teach students about glial cell types, cell culture, gene expression or protein measurement.
By
Ashley Juavinett
30 June 2025 | 10 min read
Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.
Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior
Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.
By
Claudia López Lloreda
27 June 2025 | 9 min listen