Wharton Neuroscience

Student Society

(WiNSS)

WiNSS Scholars Program Articles

Wharton Neuroscience Student Society (WiNSS) is an inclusive community, open to any and all faculty, undergraduates, graduate and professional students, and staff regardless of background, qualifications, or academic track.

The WiNSS community is open and diverse, connected and defined simply by a shared interest and enthusiasm for understanding the roots of human behavior, and translating this knowledge into new applications to improve business and society. The only prerequisite to become a part of WiNSS is an interest in connecting brain science and business.

To join our community or simply learn more, please sign up for our mailing list now.

As a Wharton-recognized student organization, WiNSS adheres to the University of Pennsylvania Policy on Equal Opportunity.

Wharton Neuroscience Student Society

Wharton Neuroscience Student Society (WiNSS) is a student group within the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative. Student members are undergraduates, MBA students, professional and graduate students across all disciplines within Penn’s campus. The common thread is an interest in the intersection of brain science and business.

WiNSS holds monthly meetings, hosts luncheons with companies, shares job opportunities, encourages involvement in research, and facilitates learning about how neuroscience and business can be connected. WiNSS also advocates for academic initiatives at the university level, such as creating a minor or a concentration in Wharton and establishing an internship program.

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WiNSS Board (2024-2025)

Athena Krikorian

WiNSS Co-President

Athena is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences studying Biology with minors in Data Science and Healthcare Managementat the Wharton School. Outside of WiNSS, Athena is a co-chair for the Wharton Women Fellows Committee, and research assistant at the Wharton Behavioral Lab.

Akhila Guttikonda

WiNSS Co-President

Akhila is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Neuroscience and Nutrition Science with a minor in Healthcare Management. She is interested in the intersection between decision science and neuroscience, specifically in the context of leadership and organizational performance in healthcare. Outside of WiNSS, Akhila is involved in the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, Wharton Women, and Penn Bioethics Journal.

Diya Choksey

Vice President Engagement

Diya is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Cognitive Science with a minor in Consumer Psychology. She is interested in how brain science can optimize consumer behavior, decision-making, and marketing strategies. Diya also serves as the Director of Wharton Neuroscience Relations for Niura, a neuro-tech startup, working to integrate it within the broader Penn community. Outside of WiNSS, she enjoys learning more about positive psychology, writing opinion columns for The Daily Pennsylvanian, and is actively involved with the Wharton Retail Club.

Krithya Karthikeyan Kavitha

Vice President Academic Initiatives

Krithya is a graduate student pursuing the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. As a research coordinator at the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, she is passionate about exploring and also telling the world how brain data can provide deeper insights into human behavior, unlocking potential that goes beyond traditional behavioral measures. Krithya’s interests lie at the intersection of neuroscience, behavioral science, and decision-making.

Sophia Jorgensen

Vice President Internal

Sophia is a second-year in the LSM program studying neuroscience at the College of Arts and Sciences and healthcare management at the Wharton School. She is excited by the intersection between neuroscience and business, specifically how neuroscience can be applied in a healthcare setting to optimize patient outcomes. Outside of WiNSS, Sophia is a Project Lead for WUHC, a dancer and choreographer for Arts House Dance Company, and enjoys trying new restaurants in Philly.

Olivia Kim

Vice President Internal

Olivia is a junior in the college studying Cognitive Neuroscience and Visual Studies. She enjoys learning about the technical applications of brain science in business, leadership, and design. Outside of WiNSS, she plays for Penn Women’s Club Soccer, is the photography director for The Walk Magazine, and enjoys running, hiking, and exploring new restaurants in Philly.

Ersa Celebi

Vice President Engagement

Esra is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying Cognitive Science with a concentration in Neuroscience and a minor in Healthcare Management. She is interested in how brain science can be used to enhance everyday life, improve well-being, and drive positive social impact. Outside of WiNSS, Esra is a member of the Turkish Student Association and engages in philanthropy initiatives. She also enjoys exploring Penn’s arts and music events and traveling on weekends to discover new places.

Viveka Sinha

Vice President Marketing

Viveka is a sophomore in the Wharton School studying Operations, Information, and Decisions and AI with a minor in Consumer Psychology. She is interested in leveraging neuroscience to understand and predict employee productivity and consumer behavior, with the goal of improving organizational effectiveness. Outside of WiNSS, she is involved in MUSE Social Impact Consulting, Wharton Women, and WUDAC, and she enjoys watching sitcoms and reading.

Caroline Johan

Vice President Academic Initiatives

Stay Tuned for More Information!

WiNSS Board Positions 2025-2026

Apply for a 2025-2026 Board Position ⇒

POSITION	DESCRIPTION
President	The President is responsible for overseeing WiNSS by leading weekly board meetings and monthly GBMs. This role requires someone who is comfortable developing agendas, communicating ideas, engaging other members in conversation, and offering suggestions. The President should also regularly converse with WiNSS advisors (Zab and Kate) to ensure that responsibilities are being fulfilled in a timely manner. At the start of each semester, the President must coordinate with Wharton/SAC to sign up WiNSS for club fairs and relevant club trainings. Finally, the President offers assistance to other VPs as needed.
Vice President Internal	The VP Internal is responsible for managing internal affairs of WiNSS and serving as a direct link between the board and general body members. This role requires someone who is eager to plan community-building events and creative ways to build off the existing Scholars Program. The VP Internal may also take the lead on fostering new channels of communication (e.g. Slack) and facilitating board meetings by taking attendance/notes and distributing them afterward.
Vice President External	The VP External is responsible for managing external relations between WiNSS and the broader community, including but not limited to WiN, Wharton professors, guest speakers, etc. This position requires someone who is excited about event planning (i.e. Brain Biz luncheons, WiN conference, fireside chats, etc). The VP External should interact closely with VP Marketing and VP Engagement to advertise WiNSS events and identify appropriate listservs/social media platforms to broadcast events through.
Vice President Marketing	The VP Marketing is responsible for designing and publishing all promotional materials for WiNSS. This includes but is not limited to Canva event banners, Facebook events, Mailchimp announcements, WiNSS website, etc. The VP Marketing should have basic knowledge of social media and design platforms such as Canva.
Vice President Academic Initiatives	The VP Academic Initiatives is responsible for implementing the minor and encouraging academic interests at the intersection of neuroscience and business. This role requires someone who is persistent and willing to regularly meet with Penn’s academic chairs to finalize approval of the minor. The VP Academic Initiatives may also compile articles/publications related to neuroscience/business topics and distribute them to general body members to foster conversation about these interests (e.g. through Zoom small groups).
Vice President Engagement	The VP Engagement is responsible for assisting in promotion of events for both WiNSS and WiN. This includes outreach to other like-minded organizations, disseminating information via social media and email communications. The VP Engagement will work closely with all other board positions to ensure information reaches as many people as possible.