Franco Valencia

Franco is a rising junior at the University of Toronto, St. George, where he is currently studying Neuroscience, Psychology, and Computer Science. Initially passionate about the biological mechanisms underlying cognition, his interests eventually expanded into psychiatric inequalities in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he learned about the disparity in mental health resources in his birth country, the Philippines. He has since sought to bring awareness to this issue as a writer and content creator, while still contributing to neurological research in the lab. As a CARE Scholar, Franco hopes to grow as a data scientist while developing a broader understanding of health inequalities in Southeast Asia. In his free time, Franco can be found creating digital artwork, learning an instrument, reading sci-fi, or binging anime.