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Simons STEM Scholars Program
HomeSimons Scholar ProfileSimons Scholars Profile - Jayden Shofolahan

JaydenShofolahan

Image of Jayden Shofolahan

Cohort 3

Hometown: Queens, NY

Major: Computer Science

Year: Freshman

High School: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts

Biography:

In Jayden's time at Stony Brook, they plan on studying mental health in urban teenagers, specifically violence-related trauma, and how to utilize mental health technologies to help mitigate their rates of violence-related post-traumatic stress disorder. They also plan on studying the intricacies of bioinformatics for cancer research to combine their interests in technology and medicine. In Jayden's free time, they like to dance, cook healthy foods, and bake delicious treats. They also like to listen to music and spend quality time with family and friends. Before becoming a Simons STEM Scholar, Jayden participated in an extensive psychology & technology-based research project underscoring the psychological impact of violence-related events in New York City affecting New York City African American teenagers. Jayden integrated agent-based modeling to demonstrate the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in mitigating their rates of violence-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, under the STEM Research Academy at LaGuardia Community College, Jayden studied protein interactions on HIV-1/AIDS viruses using Uniprot, Clustal Omega, & Netphos to predict possible host kinases and phosphorylation sites with fellow research interns. 

Leading the Future:

"I envision myself leading the future of STEM by encouraging the future generation of minority STEM leaders that they are more than capable of breaking barriers in this field. I want to show everyone that anything is possible no matter who you are. STEM does not have to be Ctrl-C + Ctrl-V. We are here to diversify a field that needs diverse perspectives, medicines, research labs, and more. And it starts now." 

Why did you become a Simons STEM Scholar?:

"I chose to become a Simons STEM Scholar because I know that this is what I was destined to pursue. From the moment I experienced Selection Weekend is the moment where I knew this program was special. No college tour or information session about college programs has felt as magnificent as this one, and I knew in my heart that I needed to go to this program. During my interview, I had one of the most powerful experiences that I ever had, and I had a strong feeling that I would become an S3. Once the news came that I had gotten the scholarship, it was so amazing, so much so that my Mom said yes to the scholarship before I could even process what was happening! The community, the staff, the university, they all blended together perfectly, meaning that I wanted to spend my future with those that I now call family. I became an S3 because I needed to be a part of the change needed to be made in the STEM community, while addressing the needs of underprivileged communities. Becoming an S3 was one of the best decisions I have ever made!" 

What would you say to someone who is applying?:

"I can assure you that applying to this prestigious program can open doors you never thought were possible to be opened. Just by writing your responses to this prompt can help discover aspects of yourself that you never knew before. Even if you just have a sprinkle of interest in STEM, take that sprinkle and run with it as you apply. You will learn so much about STEM, the Ph.D. pathway, and how to combine your unique interests for your professional studies. Honestly, when I applied, I didn’t even think I would make it into Selection Weekend, yet here I am! Please apply here, as you won’t regret it!" 

Research Experiences:

Fall 2025 - Stony Brook University: Virtual Reality & Biomedical Engineering Lab under Mr. Paul St. Denis & Dr. Ete Chan on “Designing a Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Environment to treat Violence-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder."Fall & Spring 2024 - Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School: Advanced Research Course under Ms. Rafaelina Duverge & Dr. Toshi Francis on “Violence-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, New York City African American Teenagers, and Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy.”Summer 2023 - LaGuardia Community College: Biochemistry Research under Dr. Pratikkumar Rathod on “Identification of conserved phosphorylation sites and host kinases of the Nef protein present in HIV/AIDS.”