Victoria McCray is a Fall 2023 recipient of the Srinivasan Family Awards for Projects in Emerging Markets, run by the Center for Emerging Markets at Northeastern University.
Victoria McCray has always been fascinated by neuroscience—not only for its exploration of the human nervous system, but for its potential to drive meaningful change in health and technology. Her curiosity about cognition, computation, and data science has been paralleled by a deep passion for enabling others to participate in scientific research and collaborating with organizations such as Black in Neuro to empower Black scholars and professionals in neuroscience-related fields.
After her first semester in Northeastern's Masters of Bioinformatics program, Victoria was inspired to create a channel for students and early career researchers to access critical computational tools and methodologies needed to thrive in modern neuroscience. With support from a Srinivasan Family Award through the Center for Emerging Markets (CEM), Victoria set out to host a hackathon in Lilongwe, Malawi to empower African and African diaspora researchers with hands-on training in computational neuroscience.
Over the course of two weeks in February 2025, Victoria welcomed over 30 participants to engage in workshops covering neuroimaging analysis, machine learning, and statistical modeling. She devised an intensive program curriculum and worked with attendees to tackle projects ranging from predictive modeling of neurodegenerative diseases to improving access to neuroimaging data using open-source tools like Nilearn and SciPy. Partner organizations such as Black in Neuro, Meta Reality Labs, the African Brain Data Network, TReND in Africa, and the ACE II APA at Lilongwe University for Agriculture and Natural Resources also contributed to case studies and discussions on neuroethics, biases in research, and the importance of diversity in scientific discovery.
Victoria's hackathon equipped attendees with practical skills and a stronger network for future collaboration. Participants left with increased exposure to neuroimaging technology and open-source analytical techniques, and experience developing collaborative, community-based research tools that can be used by other neuroscience students and researchers across Africa.
With backing from a Srinivasan Family Award, Victoria was able to create a space where accessibility and expertise came together to advance neuroscience research. She also credits her mentor, Juliet Davidow, PhD, and the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Northeastern University for their unwavering support and guidance while organizing the hackathon.
Looking ahead, Victoria plans to provide opportunities for hackathon participants to showcase their event projects, publish research, and foster new collaborations. Organizing this event reinforced her passion for equitable access in computational neuroscience and strengthened her commitment to mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and advocacy in the field.