Sean Coursey

Profile

I am a fifth-year undergraduate honors student at Northeastern University, pursuing a combined bachelor's degree in Math and Physics. My academic and research journey has been driven by a passion for mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and the biological and physical sciences.

Currently, I am working in Professor Maijia Liao’s lab at Northeastern, where I am developing numerical models to study microtubule dynamics in neuronal dendrites. This research involves translating mathematical descriptions of microtubule behavior into computational solutions using finite difference and finite element methods. By modeling the processes of growth, catastrophe, and recovery, I aim to improve our understanding of intracellular transport mechanisms and neuronal function.

From July through December 2024, I was a research assistant at CERN’s Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment under Professor Louise Skinnari. My work focused on improving the track-trigger, an addition to the current Level-1 trigger system which will be implemented for the HL-LHC upgrade in 2026. I assured the quality of tracking algorithm implementations and improved the CPU efficiency of the tracker emulation by 15%. I also conducted thermal testing on the Apollo Rev.2 hardware, ensuring its readiness for the high-luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider. This experience strengthened my skills in algorithm optimization and hardware validation in the context of high-energy physics.

Since 2022, I have been conducting research at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital in Dr. Jingyuan Chen’s CANDY Lab. My research focuses on statistical analysis methodologies for functional PET imaging, specifically fluorodeoxyglucose functional positron emission tomography (fPET-FDG). I have developed novel techniques for integrating fPET and fMRI, improving the temporal alignment of metabolic and hemodynamic signals, and identified systematic biases introduced by state-of-the-art analysis methods. In addition to working on methodological improvements, I have helped collect multimodal neuroimaging data involving EEG, fMRI, and fPET-FDG. My work has resulted in multiple conference presentations and two forthcoming journal publications.

I balance school and work with movement, creativity, and mindfulness in my personal life. Ballroom dance has been a constant source of challenge and joy—I compete in 19 dance styles and teach beginner classes at Northeastern. Ceramics provides a soothing creative outlet. As a co-founder of NU Clay Cave, the university’s first ceramics club, I’ve helped build opportunities for students to explore expression through clay and helped teach sculpting and wheel throwing techniques. Most importantly, meditation and my Buddhist practice ground me, helping me slow down, re-engage with the present moment, and appreciate my life. Through NU Buddhist Group, I’ve led guided meditation sessions and helped organize retreats, building a community based on shared values and mutual support. Whether through dance, ceramics, or meditation, these pursuits provide community and varied flavors of joy that complement and reinvigorate my academic and research work.