International neuroscience student named Dean’s Medalist
Kirsten Gabrielle “Gabby” Dicang has been named the Department of Psychology’s fall 2025 Dean’s Medalist at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The honors student graduates this December with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience. Photo by Meghan Finnerty/ASU
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2025 graduates.
Kirsten Gabrielle “Gabby” Dicang has always been drawn to the parts of the world we don’t fully understand. For the international student from the Philippines — and soon-to-be graduate of Arizona State University — neuroscience offered the perfect challenge.
“The brain has always been fascinating for me,” she said. “Understanding it is an ongoing process, one that has the potential to impact future research and generations for years to come.”
This December, Dicang will graduate as The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology Dean’s Medalist. A Barrett, The Honors College student, she majored in neuroscience and minored in English literature, and she earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester.
Her undergraduate experience spans brain-mapping research, pre-health internships and global service. Among her many accomplishments are ASU’s New American University Scholarship and the Ernest Lindholm Award for Outstanding Senior in Biopsychology.
Dicang says her ASU and Barrett experiences provided the resources, connections and hands-on training that shaped her path toward medical school and a career in neurosurgery.
Before commencement, she shared more about her journey, her honors thesis and what she hopes future students will take away from her story.
Question: What first sparked your interest in neuroscience?
Answer: There’s so much we do not know, and I enjoy learning about new things every day. Ever since high school, I’ve seen myself pursuing a career in neurosurgery because of its complex and challenging nature, so neuroscience felt like a great steppingstone toward that goal.
Q: Why did you choose ASU, and how did it shape your experience?
A: I chose ASU because of its diverse and inclusive environment and the many opportunities available to students. As an international student, I was worried about adjusting, but I’ve made meaningful connections with friends and faculty. I felt like I could be myself, which is something I often struggled with growing up. I’m proud of who I’ve become, and I encourage others to find what makes them happy in college.
Q: How does your minor in English literature enhance your neuroscience studies?
A: The brain encompasses our entire human experience: how we perceive the world around us, ourselves and others. English literature allowed me to appreciate life from a humanities perspective — translating perception into works of art. I extracted ideas from my neuroscience and psychology courses and applied them to what I was reading. It made analyzing complex characters more fun because I could reason through their behavior with what I learned in class.
Q: What’s something you learned at ASU that changed your perspective?
A: It is important to always take a chance and pursue opportunities no matter how discouraging or difficult the journey might seem. I am a strong believer that you regret the chances you don’t take, so I have made it my goal to sign up for anything that interests me, whether it be electives, clubs or events. ASU has so much to offer, and I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t taken those opportunities.
Q: Can you describe your honors thesis and the role of your faculty mentor?
A: I joined the Neural Control of Movement Lab, directed by Fulton Professor of Neural Engineering Dr. Marco Santello in the spring 2024. My thesis, “Mapping ACC-Autonomic Coupling: Effects of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound on Cardiac Function,” examined how stimulating different areas in the anterior cingulate cortex affects heart-rate variability. My principal investigator, Dr. Chris Blais, was instrumental in helping me navigate how to use devices like tFUS and EEG for brain-mapping research and emphasized the importance of pursuing research that genuinely interests me.
Q: Beyond your thesis, what research, internships or other hands-on experiences had the biggest impact on your growth?
A: Through ASU’s Pre-Health Internship Program, I served as a medical scribe at the Brain and Spine Center for three semesters. I gained firsthand insight into the inner workings of neurology practice, which I hope to integrate into my future career.
Through Barrett’s College Fellows program, I joined SolarSPELL, an organization providing resources to underserved communities globally through a solar-powered digital library. I continue as a metadata development intern, organizing resources for the General Health Library used by health care professionals in Malawi, Africa.
As a community assistant, I supported first-year students by connecting them with resources and helping them navigate academic and personal challenges during their transition to college.
Q: If given $40 million to solve one global problem, what would you tackle and why?
A: I would expand access to affordable health care. Everyone deserves quality medical care, yet millions around the world die from preventable illnesses because treatment is unaffordable or out of reach. I would invest in low-cost diagnostic tools, essential medicines, mobile clinics and training more health care professionals to ensure services reach the communities that need them most.
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