Savanna Cohen’s academic journey has taken her from the classrooms of Crawford International Sandton to some of the world’s most renowned universities and now, to Oxford.
The 21-year-old will graduate summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2026 with a degree in neuroscience, plus minors in psychology and science, technology and society.
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Along the way, she’s studied at Cambridge, conducted ground-breaking research at Berkeley, and earned recognition on the global stage as a Rhodes Scholarship finalist.
Her next stop is Oxford University’s prestigious 1+3 MSc + DPhil in Neuroscience programme.
She added that out of 470 applicants, only five students were chosen, all women, and she was part of that and received an offer from Cambridge for the same field, but Oxford won her heart. Cohen’s research resume is already weighty.
At Penn, she’s explored the biology of appetite, investigated opioid addiction, and used machine learning to study withdrawal behaviours. At Berkeley’s Knight Lab, her contributions on oxytocin and maternal behaviour are set to feature in leading scientific journals.
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“Outside the lab, I have served on Penn’s Dean’s Advisory Board, led student societies, and advocated for diversity and inclusion through Out in STEM (oSTEM).”
She pointed out that her efforts have earned her several research fellowships and awards.
Reflecting on her journey, she said, “It’s humbling to be part of such a small, dedicated cohort. I can’t wait to deepen my understanding of the brain and contribute to meaningful advancements in neuroscience.”
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