Sheen’s Pathway to Neuroscience

“So, Sheen, tell me, how many years have you been at Bangkok Patana? Thirteen?”

“Thirteen years, part of the OG kids”, she says, smiling with the ease of someone who has truly grown up within these walls.

There is something magnetic about Sheen – a composure shaped not just by time, but by a school experience that has been both grounding and expansive. “I think I’ve had a really good experience at Patana,” she reflects, “all my friends are here, and I wouldn’t be who I am without the school today. It’s made me more grounded… and a more global citizen, I guess.”

When she says ‘global citizen’, she means it in the way only a Patana student can: not as a buzzword, but as a lived perspective. ‘The school really values impact on the world – thinking globally,’ she explains, ‘It’s shaped me to use my critical thinking across different areas.’

After thirteen years, leaving feels bittersweet. “It’s like a second home,” she says, “you’re in this kind of bubble… and when you step out of Patana, it might feel like being lost. But maybe in a good way.”

Academically, Sheen has always leaned towards Science – with Economics subtly threading its way through her choices. At IGCSE, Economics and Biology stood out; at IB, she extended both, adding Sports Science, a subject she describes as unexpectedly rigorous. “It’s very physics and bio-based,” she says, “You learn everything in more detail, but from a sports perspective.”

That link between movement and Science is no accident. Outside the classroom, Sheen’s world is defined by dance, ballet and contemporary, with the occasional jazz interlude. She began at three and a half, and today competes internationally in competitions such as the International Ballet Grand Prix and the Asian Grand Prix. “Dance has taught me discipline and responsibility,” she says, “sometimes I travel alone for competitions, and that teaches you a lot. The hard work and dedication — it’s helped my academics too.”

Sport, too, has been a constant. From early years in Swimming and Football to Varsity Softball, she was part of the team that won SEASAC Softball in 2024. Sheen’s leadership has been as evident on the field as it is beyond it. Today, she serves as Chair of the Senior (Tiger) Sports Council. “That team spirit – that feeling – it’s something really special about Patana,” she says, recalling the celebrations after their SEASAC victory, “I don’t think you can find that anywhere else.”

And then, there is neuroscience — the thread that ties everything together.

“I like both STEM and the humanities side,” Sheen explains, “neuroscience combines them – you can study the mind, but also look at psychology and policy.” Her interest is deeply personal, rooted in the mind-body connection she experiences through dance. “I want to understand why my brain thinks a certain way when I move – how neural coordination works.”

Her curiosity has already taken her far beyond the classroom. Sheen has completed internships at the Neurological Institute of Thailand and Siriraj Hospital, and was part of a research project at Chulalongkorn University exploring a neuropathic drug, ASA 37. She also worked with the Deputy Governor of Bangkok on mental health policy design for Thai public schools, connecting her academic interests with real-world impact.

“I think I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning more — not just neuroscience, but life experiences,” she says of university, “trying new things, broadening my perspective.”

Next stop: Barnard College, Columbia University, where she will study Neuroscience and Behaviour.

But as she prepares to leave, it is the smaller things she knows she will miss most. “Everything,” she says simply, “Lunch times with friends, conversations with teachers… this place is really special.”

Congratulations and all the best Sheen!