Find out more about applying for the Rhodes Scholarship

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Olivia McGinnis

Election Year: 2020

Election Constituency: United States of America

Scholar Status: Scholar in Residence

Rhodes Identifier: Pennsylvania & Magdalen 2020

Olivia McGinnis

Biography

Olivia J. McGinnis, Phoenixville, is a senior at Harvard University where she is pursuing an A.B. in Neuroscience. Olivia's undergraduate thesis analyzes zebrafish escape response to gain insight into their internal models of their environment and how such models might be biologically instantiated to bias escapes. Olivia's research complements her studies in understanding how the human brain works as a complex set of circuits to achieve behavior. Olivia is the Editor-in-Chief and Head of Design of Ecdysis, a student-run journal dedicated to building bridges between the sciences and the humanities. She is also a committed volunteer at Alzheimer's Buddies, which supports individuals grappling with advanced Alzheimer's disease. At Oxford, Olivia will continue her studies in psychology.