NICOLE BUNYATOV (she/her)
I’ve never understood why science and art must be mutually exclusive categories. I love painting just as much as I love statistics, I crave sculpting just as much as I crave research and I need my sketchbook just as much as I need programing. In kindergarten my teacher asked me what job I wanted to do when I grew up and I told her I had a whole list. Now, I’m trying my best to keep that as a promise to my younger self, so I’ll never abandon any of my curiosities and broad interests for the sake of “being sensible.” That curiosity, and passion for all areas of study has visibly made me a more thoughtful learner, compassionate designer, and ingenuitive mind, no matter what I’m doing.
EDUCATION
Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA
Candidate for Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Media Arts & Sciences
Expected – May 2027
Masachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA
Cross Registered Student | Fall 2024 – Present
Vrije Universiteit | Amsterdam, NL
Danish Institute of Study Abroad | Copenhagen, DK
Semester Abroad Programs | August 2025 – May 2026
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the Performing Arts | New York, NY
Advanced Regents Diploma, Fine Arts Endorsement
Graduated June 2023
Gabrieli Lab, MIT Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences | Cambridge, MA
Research Assistant
June 2025 – October 2025
- Conducted literature review of 70+ research papers evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive training programs for individuals with learning disabilities
- Assisted in fMRIi brain scans for children with ADHD and developmental dyslexia to collect experimental data
Independent Research, Wellesley College Psychology Department | Wellesley, MA
Student Researcher
September 2024 – Present
- Critically evaluated 90+ research papers, on the impacts of typography on reading, primarily for dyslexic readers
- Interviewed psychology, studio art, and computer science faculty, driving conceptualization and needs-finding
- Anticipated topic for undergraduate thesis
“The Effect of Roommate Similarity on Closeness, Self-Esteem, and Reading Comprehension” | Wellesley, MA
Student Researcher, Wellesley College Psychology Department
January 2025 – May 2025
- Conceptualized and conducted original research evaluating college-level interpersonal roommate relationships and their impact on individual socio-cognitive abilities
- Examined literature to invent study questions, hypotheses, determine adequate research methods, design, and tests
- Prepared an ethics proposal for IRB approval; developed Qualtrics to administer participants experimental protocol
- Analyzed data using SPSS and G*Power, presented research findings, and authored a final manuscript in APA style
Lexi in Wellesley: Linguistic Mapping Project | Wellesley, MA
Research Assistant
January 2025 – May 2025
- Attended weekly meetings with student ambassadors and PIs from Computer Science and Psychology Departments to implement a Slack chat bot collecting and mapping languages spoken across campus for educational material
- Researched typography and interpretive guidelines from museums, national parks, and botanic gardens around the world to design cohesive and clear signage templates for promotional and educational materials
LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Student Assistant | Wellesley, MA
Curatorial, Visitor Experience, and Horticultural Assistant
March 2024 – Present
- Designed signage guidelines, creating designs and text for 40+ novel signs, displayed throughout the gardens
- Researched typography and interpretive guidelines from museums, national parks, and botanic gardens around the world to design cohesive and clear signage templates
- Created new storytelling approaches through plant layout, signage, and arrangement, alongside 7-10 stakeholders
- Maintaining records using ArcGIS and IrisBG to sustain an organized layout on the conditions of accessioned plants
Tower Court Dormitory Teas | Wellesley, MA
Volunteer Tea Coordinator
September 2024 – May 2025
- Hosted weekly events for the campus-wide community, maintaining a 50+ year college tradition
- Researched and coordinated with 40+ faculty and staff members to feature a new guest each week
- Procured ceramic teapots, decorative paper cups and a new flavor of decaf tea for every event
- Created a thoroughly organized spreadsheet, and designed and distributed promotional materials weekly to advertise to students
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Teen Collaborative | New York, NY
Intern, Teen Leader
January 2021 – June 2023
- Led a group of 6 teen interns during bimonthly meetings over the course of two academic years to interpret museum exhibitions in such a way to engage new visitors, integrating independent research into design decisions
- User research with museum stakeholders to inform development of activities which increase accessibility of information
- Created and instructed visitors through idiosyncratic activities focused on connecting physical senses to art
LaGuardia School Leadership Team (SLT) | New York, NY
Elected student representative, Co-secretary, Paid Position
September 2022 – June 2023
- Attended monthly meetings with school administration, Teacher's Union members, and PTA board
- Recorded Minutes to be entered into formal records and posted online
- Composed, articulated, and advocated for student needs
LaGuardia Nature Lab | New York, NY
Co-Founder, President
September 2022- June 2023
- Proposed and acquired funding for a departmental collection of taxidermy and natural specimens to be used for artistic study
- Advertised for public donations and funds through creation of promotional materials; secured a grant of $500
- Worked closely with school administration, the Fine Art Department Assistant Principal, faculty, and staff
LaGuardia News n’ Notes | New York, NY
Senior Editor, Outreach Department
September 2021- June 2023
- Researched, wrote, edited, and styled 4-6 pages monthly for the art department's newsletter
- Coordinated with a team of approximately 10 student collaborators
- Worked closely with administration, faculty, and staff in the art department to develop content and collect necessary information for every edition
Crafters 4 Creativity, Student-run non-profit | New York, NY
Board Member, Student Teacher, Private Tutor
September 2020 – June 2023
- Managed networking and outreach for a group of 100+ students, primarily organizing Slack side channels
- Designed and taught group & private lessons in painting/crafts/art history to children ages 6-13
- Designed & digitally hand-drew logo using Procreate to meet branding expectations as a growing non-profit
Civiso, Student-run activist non-profit | New York, NY
Head of Design
March 2020 - June 2023
- Created and managed a design team over Slack of 10 people to make promotional materials
- Assisted in consulting for project proposals; managed progress on ongoing projects
- Managed progress on all projects; Slack; Social Media Networks
Plants Connections Exhibit, Wellesley College Botanic Gardens | Wellesley, MA
2025
- Accepted for art that explores or interprets the Botanic Gardens mission statement: to inspire generations of change-makers to cultivate reciprocal relationships with plants and land
Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards | New York, NY
2018 – 2023
- One of the longest-running and most prestigious honors for creative teens, this award is conferred through a highly competitive jury process for works that demonstrate exceptional originality, technical skill, emergence of personal voice
- 5 Gold, 7 Silver, and 14 Honorable Mentions in drawing, mixed media design, sculpture, painting, and personal essay
- Ehibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art Exhibitions | New York, NY
2019 – 2023
- Selected by a jury of faculty
- Accepted to exhibit in the Semiannual Art Show (x8)
- Accepted to exbibit in the annual Student Curated Art Show (x2)
- Accepted to exhibit in the Senior Art Show
Arts Connection Student Art Awards | New York, NY
2018 – 2022
- Awarded through a selective review for artworks that best respond to annual creative themes, granting recipients a year-long professional exhibition, a $100 award, and entry into a citywide community of teen artists
- x4
Manhattan Borough Arts Festival | New York, NY
2021
- Awarded through a competitive adjudication process by a panel of NYC arts educators, this award recognizes the highest-quality student artwork made in Manhattan schools during the academic year, selected for its technical proficiency and thoughtful artistic intent
- Exhibited virtually at the MoMA
Global Shoal Lost-Fishes Awards | Oxford, UK
2021
- Global competition to protect critically endadgered fish species, never photographed
-
Awarded runner-up for portfolio
- Created 8 custom watercolor paintings and one polimer clay sculpture
World Oceans’ Day Art Gallery | New York, NY
2021
- Awarded for artworks effectively communicating ocean advocacy, biodiversity awareness, and environmental themes to a global audience, aligned with the United Nations' mission
- Exhibited two paintings on oceanic.global
P.S. Art & Writing Awards | New York, NY
2019
- Conferred through a rigorous, multi-stage jury process by professional artists, arts educators, and Met curators, selecting works for their technical proficiency, originality, imaginative use of media, and demonstrable student voice from nearly 1,000 submissions citywide
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Awarded runner-up
- Exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Brooklyn Borough Arts Festival | Brooklyn, NY
2018
- Awarded through a competitive adjudication process by a panel of NYC arts educators, this award recognizes the highest-quality student artwork made in Brooklyn schools during the academic year, selected for its technical proficiency and thoughtful artistic intent
- Exhibited at the Brooklyn Borough Hall