William Talman admits he was never really good at jigsaw puzzles, but that didn’t stop him from a career in biomedical research and science advocacy. During his first year of medical school, Talman recalls, “One of my professors challenged us one day, saying ‘Do any of you like to solve jigsaw puzzles? If so, you will probably like neurology because you can logically put the pieces together.’”...

A conversation is a lot more than words.And Rupa Gupta, a University of Iowa graduate student, said she wants to unravel the intricacies of interaction, such as eye contact and timing.“I’m just interested in how people interact with people,” said Gupta, who is working toward a Ph.D. in neuroscience.Her advisers call her a standout in her field, but the 25-year-old was hesitant to praise her...