Erin Alexander, professor ofÌębiology, is here to answer all your questions about the brain’s connection to love, how it rewires after heartbreak and how triggering fresh waves of dopamine keep love’s reward system firing.

SU: What happens in the brain when someone feels an initial spark of attraction?

EA:ÌęIn the early stages of love or attraction, dopamine creates feelings of pleasure and desire, while the stress hormone cortisol heightens urgency and focus. The body interprets this new attraction as an important situation, triggering nervous excitement — like a racing heart or jitters — that motivates pursuit. However, this initial spark fades over time as relationships evolve, with oxytocin playing a bigger role in deepening emotional bonds.

SU: What role does the brain’s reward system play in romantic attraction?

EA:ÌęThe brain’s reward system is crucial in forming romantic relationships. When we experience romantic reward, dopamine is released into the nucleus accumbens, which then sends signals in two directions. One pathway leads to the prefrontal cortex, helping us plan and make decisions about our partner. The other goes to the amygdala, reducing activity related to fear, judgment and negative emotions. This neural suppression explains the saying, “Love is blind,” as it makes us less critical and more trusting of our partner.

SU: Why is romantic attraction often compared to addiction in terms of brain chemistry?

EA:ÌęOur brain’s reward system responds to anything we find pleasurable, whether it’s food, alcohol, drugs or love. This system, which doesn’t distinguish between different rewards, reacts with varying intensity. It evolved to reinforce survival behaviors like eating, bonding and reproduction. Romantic love, especially in its early stages, activates the same brain regions as addictive substances, though drugs trigger a much stronger and more persistent response.

SU: What happens in the brain during heartbreak or unrequited love?

EA:ÌęHeartbreak activates the same brain regions as physical pain, which is why romantic rejection can feel so intense. The emotional stress triggers cortisol release while lowering dopamine, creating symptoms similar to drug withdrawal. This can lead to intrusive thoughts, trouble focusing, heightened emotions, loss of motivation, anxiety, sleep issues, a weakened immune system and even physical pain. After a breakup, the brain’s reward system remains “in love” for a while, still craving interaction with the lost partner and making it difficult to move on immediately.

SU: How does the brain try to compensate for this “withdrawal”?

EA:ÌęIn the early stages of a breakup, seeing images of an ex activates the same brain regions as a drug addict experiencing withdrawal. The rational part of the brain (orbitofrontal cortex) tries to suppress these emotional responses, but it’s initially very difficult. The longer the relationship, the more neural connections are tied to the lost partner, meaning the brain must gradually rewire itself to adapt to their absence. This is why breakups — especially after long marriages — can take years to fully heal from.

SU: How can we help our brain maintain long-term attraction?

EA:ÌęOxytocin helps regulate the brain’s reward system, making it easier to reignite excitement in long-term relationships. Since dopamine is released in response to novelty, couples who feel their relationship has lost its “spark” can restore it by trying new and exciting activities together. This can effectively reengage the brain’s reward system and enhance romantic connection.

• Erin Alexander earned her bachelor’s degrees in behavioral neuroscience and biochemistry from Lehigh University. She went on to earn her doctorate in interdisciplinary biomedical neuroscience from the University of Florida College of Medicine. She also completed postgraduate training at Georgia State University and Emory University. Alexander joined the faculty at °”ÍűTV in 2009.

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Four students interned with WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, while one interned with Transitions of PA, also of Lewisburg.

Funding from NetVUE provided students with wages and on-campus housing, which created equitable access for them to gain professional experience while also supporting the university’s regional partners and employers, said Peggy Peeler, Charles B. Degenstein professor of biology at °”ÍűTV.

“Professional internships in health care are crucial for students, providing hands-on opportunities to learn and gain industry insights, and the chance to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings,” Peeler said. “These experiences not only enhance their skills but also shape their career paths.”

Peeler led weekly professional development workshops for students that included dinner and conversations with alumni about careers and graduate school opportunities, LinkedIn networking and profile development, and preparing for conference presentations.

WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital

Faiza Ahmed ’26, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and Trinity Reedy ’27, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, both biomedical sciences majors, worked as medical assistants at WellSpan Evangelical’s Thyra M. Humphreys Center for Breast Health and the Department of Gastroenterology.

With patient consent, both students had the opportunity to observe cancer conferences and tumor board discussions that brought together clinicians from multiple specialties, including radiology, oncology, pathology and surgery, to discuss patient diagnoses and treatment plans. Ahmed also assisted in updating patient records in the American Society of Breast Surgeons database to assist surgeons in tracking patient care.

“The hardest part of the internship was sitting in on difficult conversations with patients, whether the topic was cancer or other serious medical conditions,” Reedy said. “While the topics were hard to hear, I learned a lot by watching each doctor and nurse provide excellent support and guidance to each patient. It was eye-opening to see just how tirelessly they work toward making their patients better.”

While Reedy plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, Ahmed plans to enter the health care field.

“This experience provided me with much-needed clinical exposure to specialist fields in breast health and gastroenterology where I gained valuable knowledge, skills and experience,” Ahmed said. “I was able to make great connections with my colleagues of all ages and truly enjoy my work.”

Ashley Newman ’25, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, also a biomedical sciences major, interned in Community Health and Wellness, a department at WellSpan Evangelical that is dedicated to preserving and improving the health of the community through health screenings; classes, programs and events; support groups and more.

“I participated in almost 50 different events ranging from health care classes for local youth programs to comprehensive blood screenings. When I was not out in the community, I updated the CPR certification database or handled the distribution of naloxone to different groups and organizations,” Newman explained. “Every day was a little bit different, and I got to see many different aspects of public health.”

Newman plans to pursue a career in health care.

“I enjoyed getting to see first-hand the impact that I was having on people in our community,” she said. “This experience opened my eyes to a side of medicine that often gets overlooked. There is truly no better feeling than getting to provide equal and affordable access to health care for people in need.”

Isaiah Bomboy ’25, a biomedical sciences major from Berwick, Pennsylvania, interned with WellSpan Evangelical’s Guest Relations team.

His primary responsibilities included assisting patients arriving for one-day surgery and providing directions or escorting guests to their destinations throughout the hospital. He also assisted with managing the gift shop’s inventory.

“I enjoyed forging meaningful connections and relationships with my team and patients who frequently visited the hospital,” Bomboy said. “The Guest Relations team made my integration with the working environment of the hospital as seamless and easy as I could ever have hoped for, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to expand my communication skills and knowledge of the functioning of a hospital environment.”

After graduating from °”ÍűTV, Bomboy hopes to attend medical school to become a physician, possibly in the fields of pediatrics and/or neurology.

“We are always looking for new and innovative ways of connecting with the next generation of health care professionals,” said Rachel Smith, vice president of people and culture at WellSpan Evangelical Community Hospital. “For the students, it’s a chance to gain some real-world experience in a field that ignites their passions; for our clinical and support professionals, it’s an opportunity to share their experience and knowledge with a motivated, engaged audience.”

Transitions of PA

Kat Shipsky ’26, of Clifford Township, Pennsylvania, a double major in neuroscience and psychology, interned at °”ÍűTV’s VIP Center, through which she worked closely with Transitions of PA to reestablish support groups for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence that were disrupted by the Covid pandemic.

Shipsky helped to construct two group sessions — one for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and the other an educational support group that teaches students how to identify and prevent domestic violence and how to build and sustain healthy relationships. She also designed educational handouts for distribution at support group meetings.

“The part of my experience that I enjoyed the most was knowing that my work was going to directly help students on campus,” Shipsky said. “There are many career paths I can take with my degrees, and this internship has helped give me some insight into which if those I want to pursue.”

Awarded to °”ÍűTV in 2022, the NetVUE grant supports expanding the number of summer internship placements with local employers and a weekly vocational exploration program for all summer research and internship students in the natural and social sciences.

°”ÍűTV NetVUE

The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education is a nationwide network of 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students. A program of the Council of Independent Colleges, NetVUE is supported by the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc. and member dues. CIC administers NetVUE with guidance from an advisory council comprising representatives from participating institutions.

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Peggy Peeler leads Women in STEM group for female science majors

It would be hard to find an SU biology major from the past 33 years who did not know the inimitable Peggy Peeler.

She arrived at °”ÍűTV in 1989 as the first female biology professor at SU and only one of two female science professors, something Peeler said was not at all unusual. She was used to seeing few, if any, female science professors as a student and said giving SU students the chance to see a woman in a position of authority in STEM made her “feel a little bit like a groundbreaker.”

“I was aware that I would need to be a role model for these women, and I recognized the importance of my students being able to see me in the lab and teaching while pregnant,” said Peeler, now Charles B. Degenstein Professor of Biology. “It was good that they were able to see that they could have a family and work in this field.”

“Working in the STEM field for my whole career gave me understanding of the importance of supporting women at the beginning of the careers,” Peeler said. And it was that understanding that led her to collaborate with an interdepartmental group of faculty to start SU’s Women in STEM program in 2016.

Peeler runs the Women in STEM program, which currently has over 50 members. So far this year, they have hosted a panel discussion with students who participated in summer research experiences or internships and a discussion with Karol Weaver, professor of history and faculty coordinator for fellowship advising, about fellowships for STEM majors. Peeler is also planning a workshop with Christiana Paradis, Title IX coordinator, on combating sexism in the STEM workplace. Women in STEM also participates in SU’s annual Break Through professional networking event in February with a lunch/discussion that focuses on work/life balance issues with female alumni who work in STEM fields.

The goal of the program is to prepare women for careers in a workforce that has traditionally been a male-dominated space and to support them as female-identifying students studying in challenging majors. Though STEM fields are still male-dominated, Peeler noted how far the field has come since she entered it. “It is remarkable how unremarkable women science professors have become,” she said.

Peeler said she tries to be a mentor and has had students and alumni tell her they view her as one. This year all four of her senior capstone students are women and have participated in the Women in STEM program. In the spring, they will enter a world very different from the one in which Peeler began her career.

Erin Rhinehart flips the script on who ‘does science’

Nineteenth century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer is credited with saying, “The problem is not so much to see what nobody has yet seen, as to think what nobody has yet thought concerning that which everybody sees.”

It is a sentiment that comes to mind when talking to °”ÍűTV’s Professor of Biology Erin Rhinehart as she describes one of her assignments in the Introduction to Physiology course she created and teaches.

As a woman in STEM, Rhinehart is all too aware that when asked to name a prominent or influential scientist most people tend to name a white male.

“This is largely because we are constantly bombarded with consistent, stereotyped images about what type of person ‘does science.’ In most science courses and textbooks, even a Google search, the people given credit for major scientific advancements almost exclusively are white males,” Rhinehart said. “Whether or not this lack of diverse representations of scientists registers consciously, the impact is clear and consistent. Therefore, it is important that STEM faculty recognize the impact of this messaging and develop mechanisms to combat it.”

So when Rhinehart assigned her students to write a biography on a scientist, she required they choose from a list of women and people of color who have made and are making incredible contributions to science. The assignment required they write a paper and give an oral presentation to the class about the scientist’s personal life, career trajectory and scientific contributions, along with a discussion about how the student related to the scientist personally.

“To assess the assignment’s impact on students’ belief in scientist stereotypes, I conducted a pre- and post-course survey, which showed a significant shift in students believing scientists are predominantly white and male,” Rhinehart said. Focus group assessment also revealed that the assignment improved student identification with people in science-related careers.

Rhinehart also noted a shift in the number of students who said they could relate to scientists personally. For many women and individuals of color in STEM, the scientists they learn about do not seem relatable. Even many of the systems students learn about in scientific disciplines are named after white men. Worse, the history of scientific accomplishments is spattered with examples of white men using women and minorities as unwilling or unwitting guinea pigs.

All of these factors make the widespread introduction of projects such as Rhinehart’s across STEM disciplines crucial, she said.

“It’s good for students to see many women on the faculty in STEM, especially because STEM still isn’t friendly for women,” Rhinehart said. “Luckily, °”ÍűTV is an outlier and fosters a good environment for women in STEM. People need a good environment to succeed, which makes highlighting diversity in STEM and creating an environment in which everyone belongs and can be successful so important.”

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“There is nothing I regret, it just taught me what the next thing I wanted was. The narrative that you only get one shot is not true – you can change paths halfway through and no one has ever ruined their careers by making an honest mistake at work. It is not a do-or-die situation,” Housenick said. “You are going to learn something about yourself at every job you have, but do not sacrifice yourself for the machine.”

graduated from SU with a degree in neuroscience and began her journey as a teacher. She is now certified in project management and works in diversity, equity and inclusion while helping critical staff needs in the building performance lab of the CUNY Institute for Urban Systems.

“My career has forced me to break out of the mold and explore different skill sets and different aspects of who I am,” Martin said. “The skills I acquired while obtaining my degree are helping me and I see them with a different perspective.”

McGonigle graduated from SU with a degree in biology and spent some time in the lab before realizing her gregariousness did not suit her chosen career. She has recently “retired” in order to run a musical instrument string store, Indie Strings, and works part time at a comic book store. In answer to the question “What would she do differently?” she said “I would utilize the resources at °”ÍűTV differently. I didn’t have a good idea of how to set myself up for success.”

The panelists also offered some life advice to SU students, urging them to “learn a greater perspective and give yourself a sense of mission and try to get your job to fit into it,” Housenick said.

“Explore your passions and interests and take time to do what you love because it is fun and create balance. And continue doing that fun interest once you graduate, life should not just be work,” Martin said. “You get one life, and you need to prioritize what matters most. Make those moments count.”

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Luke Duceman ’18 is currently in Costa Rica on an English Teaching Assistantship through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

“It’s a long process but I think it’s well worth the time,” Duceman said.

Duceman knows a thing or two about the Fulbright application process. His current award is his third bite at the Fulbright apple after being named a finalist and winning the award for the 2019-20 academic year. After only two months in Costa Rica, he was forced to return to the United States in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“I suffered from big imposter syndrome. I wondered if I should be applying again, I didn’t want to waste my references’ time,” Duceman said. “But I wanted to give back to the country that made me fall in love with it and its people.”

’17, who works as the director of business development for PatientWing, connects patients to clinical trials. Feiner was matched with PatientWing through her fellowship with Venture For America, which pairs recent college graduates with a startup in an emerging U.S. city with the goal of sparking job growth by sending top-talent to help grow new businesses. Hannah Kelly-Quigley ’20 recently completed a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to virtually study Chinese and Nicole Grace ’21 is in the midst of an English language teaching assistant position at the AcadĂ©mie de Rennes in Brittany, France.

All four alums stressed the importance of applying to multiple opportunities to increase the chances of success.

“Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, definitely apply for more things,” Kelly-Quigley said. “If you are declined for one opportunity, it might be a case of timing, or the competition might be particularly tough that year. By having multiple options, you have the ability to choose and you’re not limited.”

“And you could open the door to a lot more opportunities,” Feiner added.

°”ÍűTV has a in place to identify and nurture potential scholarship applicants. In addition to Cultural Vistas, °”ÍűTV students have also received the following coveted scholarship awards over the past few years:

• AmeriCorps
• FAIT (Foreign Affairs Information Technology) Fellowship
• Fulbright
• Gilman
• Peace Corps
• TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France)

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“I reapplied to this program because following my 2018 CLS experience, persistence, and good guidance, I was certain that participating in CLS was one of the best ways I could improve my Mandarin skills,” Kelly-Quigley said. “When previously studying abroad in Xi’an, the comprehensive coursework and immersive environment was an invaluable experience.”

The U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages. CLS scholars gain critical language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.

“Language study is critical to understanding the history and culture of our global community,” said Karol Weaver, professor of history and faculty coordinator for fellowship advising. “We are happy that Hannah has secured this prestigious scholarship to further her studies in this important field.”

The CLS Program provides opportunities to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to spend eight to 10 weeks studying one of 15 critical languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, or Urdu. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. The CLS Program is developed in partnership with local institutions in countries where these languages are commonly spoken. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.

Due to the global pandemic, the majority of CLS institutes in 2021 will be offered as a virtual program.

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Students in °”ÍűTV’s science programs can now be granted assured acceptance into the Penn State Smeal College of Business Master’s in Management and Organizational Leadership program through a newly formed relationship between the two universities.

The Master’s in (MOL) is a one-year residential program held at Penn State’s University Park campus that is uniquely designed for pre-professional students from technical and STEM disciplines to bridge the gap between a technical background and the business world.

“We’re excited about the relationship with °”ÍűTV,” said , associate dean for professional graduate programs at . “We have several °”ÍűTV students who have graduated from the program and have gone on to great careers with great companies. We look forward to growing this relationship in the future.”

“Our new partnership with the Smeal College of Business exposes our students in the sciences to career opportunities they may not have considered before,” said Valerie Martin, vice provost and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at °”ÍűTV. “We are happy to formalize this affiliation that has resulted in professional success for our graduates who have gone on to complete the program.”

To be eligible for assured admission, °”ÍűTV students must complete 60 credits of coursework in a science major at °”ÍűTV while maintaining a cumulative 3.25 GPA.

Students may apply for provisional acceptance to the Penn State Smeal MOL program beginning in the fall semester of their junior year at °”ÍűTV. Final admission is contingent upon conferral of their baccalaureate degree from °”ÍűTV.

The accelerated master’s program is designed to provide students with both functional expertise and a broad business perspective to propel their professional careers. MOL curriculum focuses on business fundamentals with coursework in areas such as accounting, economics and statistical analysis. Functional courses build competencies in specific areas of business, including finance, marketing and supply chain management, with a focus on communication and team process skills.

One SU Graduate’s Journey at Smeal

As a neuroscience major at °”ÍűTV, Jordan Zezza ’17 assumed he would pursue a research-oriented career path, which he thought was his only option as a science major.

“However, I received advice from Dr. Wade Johnson during our analytical chemistry class one day. He told me if I am ever able to leverage my STEM background in a business setting, I should, because there’s a lot of opportunity to make an impact in that space,” Zezza remembered.

Zezza found that Smeal’s MOL program aligned perfectly with his professional goals. He graduated with his master’s degree in 2018 and is now in the Leadership Acceleration Program at Highmark Health in Pittsburgh.

“Businesses have identified a need for people with STEM backgrounds blended with a business foundation. Being that hybrid individual will allow you to fill a niche role that not many others can fill,” Zezza said. “Most of all, you will have a unique and compelling story. Telling that story effectively is a skill you’ll gain through the program and, in my mind, the ability to tell an effective story is the most important skill you can have in business.”

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As a fellow with the Atlantis Clinical Fellowship in Portugal, Catherine Welch witnessed one of the most awe-inspiring moments in a woman’s life — becoming a mother.

“It was special to see the doctors working together as a team to not only safely deliver the babies despite some complications, but also comforting and encouraging the mother along the way,” Welch said. “It was truly amazing to see these two women become first-time moms.”

Welch earned a competitive merit scholarship to complete the Atlantis Clinical Fellowship, which provides physician shadowing in an international hospital setting in compliance with the Association of American Medical Colleges. The scholarship is awarded to less than 5% of Atlantis fellows.

A senior neuroscience major from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Welch experienced global healthcare in a variety of specialties for at least 20 hours each week — which gave her tremendous insight into her career path as a physician assistant.

“I want to go to PA school instead of medical school because as a PA, I can work in any field I choose and also have the option to switch fields without any extra schooling,” Welch said. “In Portugal, I found that I enjoy consultation-like departments, where treatment was based more on the conversation between the physician and the patient.”

A psychology minor, Welch shared her vision for the future of American healthcare — a system that would place mental health alongside care for the physical body.

“In my merit scholarship interview, I was asked if I was given a billion-dollar grant to change one thing about American healthcare, what would it be,” Welch recalled. “I would require psychiatrists to be in every general doctor’s office. I would hope to normalize mental health checks as a form of preventative care.”

Welch wants to build a trusting relationship with her future patients, one where they feel safe and cared for — like the physicians she observed this summer in the labor and delivery department.

“I couldn’t help but note how special doctors are in our lives,” she said. “Not only do they provide necessary medical care, but they help us feel safe and are present for some life-changing moments.”

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Beck developed a particularly close relationship with Kathleen Bailey, associate professor of psychology and her senior research advisor. Beck first met Bailey when she was working on her sophomore essay, a requirement for students in the Honors Program.

“Looking back, I realize how valuable my sophomore essay was. Investigating and researching an area of my major I was especially interested in really solidified my passion for neuroscience. The research skills I developed have definitely helped me in my senior capstone project,” she said.

For her capstone, Beck studied the effect that exposure to acute stressors in adolescent and juvenile rats has on the development of their decision-making abilities.

After graduating from °”ÍűTV, Beck worked as a medical scribe before entering Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, N.J.

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Ramsey was accepted as one of the few science majors to enter the competition in November 2016. The trip, however, was the true obstacle for her, since both plane travel and the hotel room were costly.

With the help of Peggy Peeler, professor and chair of the Department of Biology, Ramsey was introduced to Dr. Daisy Conduah ’06, who offered to help with her expenses.

“We are very proud of Danielle, and of Daisy for stepping in to make this happen for her,” Peeler said.

“When I found out, I was beyond grateful that she believed in me enough to become that involved,” Ramsey said. “The faith that she put in me really inspired me to go out and secure a win.”

Ramsey’s team was asked to develop and present ideas on employee engagement. Key elements of the competition include a business case competition, rĂ©sumĂ© critique, and the opportunity to network with minority professional organizations and Cleveland Clinic leadership.

“I felt honored that I was given the chance to bring such groundbreaking ideas to top officials within the Cleveland Clinic organization, and I made sure that I was able to get all that I could out of that experience.

“Being a neuroscience major and competing against business, accounting and finance majors was pretty intimidating,” Ramsey said. “But it really comforted me knowing that I had a support system of professors and friends at SU that believed in me.”

Ramsey works as an office coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering and wants to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

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