Maxine Annel
ABOUT ME
Who am I?
I'm Maxine Annel Pacheco-Ramírez, PhD Candidate in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the IUCRC BRAIN Center, University of Houston, using EEG to decode how the brain responds to music, dance, art, and human connection.
My work has taken me from Geneva's UN AI for Good Summit to Bali's rice paddies, from MD Anderson Cancer Center to Rice University. Along the way, I've published in Nature's Scientific Data, co-organized an international summer school in Florence, and led hands-on workshops training the next generation of neuroengineers.
B.Eng. Biomedical Engineering, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Highest GPA, Honorable Mention for Academic Excellence)
Publications
24
Wearable Biosensor Technology in Education: A Systematic Review
Sensors
Hernández-Mustieles MA, Lima-Carmona YE, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, et al.
DOI: 10.3390/s24082437
24
Neural Dynamics of Creative Movements During the Rehearsal and Performance of 'LiveWire'
Scientific Data (Nature)
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Kukkar K, Rao N, Huber D, Brandt AK, Noble A, Noble D, Ealey B, Contreras-Vidal JL
25
At-Home Stroke Neurorehabilitation: Early Findings with the NeuroExo BCI System
Sensors
González-España JJ, Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Feng J, Nedley K, Chang S-H, Francisco GE, Contreras-Vidal JL
DOI: 10.3390/s25051322
26
An Artistic BCI–GenAI System Enabling Real-Time Co-creation in Balinese Performance
International Workshop on Creative AI for Live Interactive Performances
Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Hernández-Aguado CO, Monarres-Sokolovskaya JA, et al.
Conference Abstracts & Posters
25
Robust Multi-Class EEG Emotion Recognition Via Trial-Level Validation & Supervised Feature Selection
EBRAINS Summit 2025, Brussels, Belgium
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Contreras-Vidal JL
25
Neural Dynamics in Dance Improvisation
Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity (SfNC) Conference, Paris, France
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Lima-Carmona YE, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Huber D, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Brandt A, Noble A, Noble D, Contreras-Vidal JL
25
Toward Standardization: A Multimodal Pipeline for Mobile Brain-Body Imaging (MoBI)
EBRAINS Summit 2025, Brussels, Belgium
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Lima-Carmona YE, Contreras-Vidal JL
25
Extending EEG Microstate Analysis to Real-World Settings for Characterizing Creativity in the Arts
EBRAINS Summit 2025, Brussels, Belgium
Lima-Carmona YE, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Das D, Ferguson R, Contreras-Vidal JL
25
Advanced Analysis Pipeline for Mobile EEG Recordings During Real-World Settings
Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity (SfNC) Conference, Paris, France
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Lima-Carmona YE, Delgado-Jimenez EA, Huber D, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Cruz-Moreno JG, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
At-home Stroke NeuroRehabilitation with the NeuroEXO Brain-Machine Interface System
Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference, Chicago, IL
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, González-España JJ, Nedley K, Chang S-H, Francisco GE, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
NeuroHumanities: Advancing Human-Centered and Inclusive Engineering Education through Integrated Convergent Research, Workforce Development and STEAM Outreach
2024 NSF EEC Grantees Conference, Alexandria, VA
Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Contreras-Vidal JL, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Lima-Carmona YE
24
Mindspring: A Personalized Health Wearable Device for Stress Management in Teens
IUCRC Brain Center Annual Meeting, Morgantown, WV
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Baquero G, Ferguson R, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
Understanding Inter-Brain Synchrony and Functional Connectivity During Dance Performance (LiveWire)
InterfaceRice 2024, Rice University, Houston, TX — 🏆 Second Prize
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Huber D, Brandt A, Noble A, Noble D, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
Brain Communication and Neural Dynamics during Dance Performance through EEG, Hyperscanning and Mobile Brain-Body Imaging Techniques
NeuroGateways 2024 Symposium, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Contreras-Vidal JL
23
Understanding Inter-Brain Synchrony and Functional Connectivity During Dance Performance
Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Annual Meeting 2023, Washington, DC
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Aguilar-Herrera AJ, Huber D, Brandt A, Noble A, Noble D, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Contreras-Vidal JL
Meeting Presentations
26
Your Brain on Music: Music-in-Medicine Concerts at MD Anderson
NSF IUCRC BRAIN Annual Industry Advisory Board Meeting, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Oral
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Alvarez-Portillo PS, Das D, Mututwa M, Kang K, Mayank M, Rui M, Contreras-Vidal JL
26
A Multimodal Study of Brain, Movement, and Musical Dynamics During Live Performances
NSF IUCRC BRAIN Annual Industry Advisory Board Meeting, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Presentation
Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Alvarez-Portillo PS, Das D, Mututwa M, Kang K, Mayank M, Rui M, Contreras-Vidal JL
26
Musical Healing: Neural Dynamics of Expert Musical Coordination
NSF IUCRC BRAIN Annual Industry Advisory Board Meeting, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Presentation
Das D, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Alvarez-Portillo PS, Contreras-Vidal JL, Rui M
25
Mindspring: A Personalized Health Wearable Device for Stress Management in Teens
IUCRC Brain Center Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD Oral
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Baquero G, Ferguson R, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
Mindspring: A Personalized Health Wearable Device for Stress Management in Teens
Eleventh Annual Bayou Startup Showcase, RED Labs Accelerator, The Ion, Houston, TX Pitch
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Contreras-Vidal JL
24
Mindspring: A Personalized Health Wearable Device for Stress Management in Teens
IUCRC Brain Center Annual Meeting, Morgantown, WV Oral
Sánchez-Rodríguez L, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Baquero G, Ferguson R, Contreras-Vidal JL
Workshops
26
Workshop on Mobile Brain-Body Imaging Technology for Music and Health Professionals
July 25–26, 2026 · Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, Chicago, IL, hosted by the Music & Dementia Research Network (MDRN) Co-Presenter
Two-day workshop training music and health professionals on mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI) methods for studying music-based interventions. On day one, co-presented "Introduction to Mobile Brain-Body Imaging Technology and Application to Studying Mechanisms of Music-based Interventions" with Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, Ph.D. and Lianne Sánchez Rodríguez, and led hands-on MoBI data collection setup and recording with dyads. On day two, introduced and led the hands-on MoBI data analysis session.
26
Children’s Museum Houston Data Descriptor
July 23, 2026 · BRAIN Center Summer Program, University of Houston Workshop Instructor
Hands-on session walking NSAP and REU students through how to write a data descriptor.
26
Brainstorm in Color: Live Brainwave Art Experience
July 22, 2026 · Children’s Museum Houston Event instructor (Data collection area)
World Brain Day public event presented by the BRAIN-AccelNet Student Network at the University of Houston, featuring interactive memory challenges and live EEG demonstrations. Coordinated with Yoshua E. Lima-Carmona.
26
Children’s Museum Houston Rehearsal
July 20, 2026 · BRAIN Center Summer Program, University of Houston Workshop co-organizer
Trained and organized station mentors and students for the Children’s Museum Houston data collection event co-organized with Yoshua E. Lima-Carmona.
26
AccelNet–EBRAINS Summer School on Human Data Management & Modelling / AI
June 15–28, 2026 · Learning Center Morgagni, Florence, Italy Co-Organizer
A 2-week intensive summer school co-organized under AccelNet (NSF Award #2412731) with University of Houston, Università degli Studi di Firenze, and EBRAINS. Three research tracks: Digital Brain Twin for Alzheimer's, SoMo Library & Standardized MoBI Protocols, and Brain-Computer Musical Interfaces using GenAI.
26
MoBI for Social Neuroscience
June 5, 2026 · BRAIN Center Summer Program, University of Houston Workshop co-instructor
Hands-on session on mobile brain-body imaging for social neuroscience applications co-organized with Yoshua E. Lima-Carmona.
25
Building Frameworks for Brain, Body, and Music: Advancing Data Standards for Dance, Sound, and Neurotechnology
November 10–11, 2025 · NSF AccelNet Workshop (Award #2412731), UCSF, San Francisco, CA Neuroengineering Team & EEG Support
International workshop bringing together researchers, artists, and industry leaders to advance data standards across dance, sound, music, and neurotechnology. Contributed with the IUCRC BRAIN neuroengineering team supporting the technical setup and EEG recording for La Catrina Monarca performance.
25
MoBI Data Preparation and Denoising Workshop
August 25–27, 2025 · Laboratory for Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems, University of Houston Workshop Instructor
A 3-day hybrid workshop guiding researchers and students through hands-on training in Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) data preprocessing using MATLAB and EEGLAB. Covered EEG denoising pipelines, multimodal datasets, and best practices for data preparation.
25
Blooming Deserts — Neurohumanities Creative Workshop
August 4–8, 2025 · University of Houston, in collaboration with Neurohumanities Lab, Tecnológico de Monterrey Workshop Organizer
A 4-day immersive interdisciplinary workshop bringing together researchers, programmers, artists, and performers to fuse neuroengineering, AI, and immersive arts. Featured expert talks, collaborative workshops, and hands-on prototyping culminating in a showcase demo.
25
Embodied Emotions: Music, Body, and Brain in Geneva
July 10–11, 2025 · Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Switzerland Workshop Organizer & Neuroengineering Team
AccelNet workshop (Award #2412731) exploring the intersection of music, body, and brain through keynotes, lightning talks, art-science performances, lab visits, and working groups on developing standards for brain behavior synchronization and quantification.
25
Mobile Brain-Body Imaging for Social Neuroscience / Brainstorm in Color Training
June 24, 2025 · NBMIL, University of Houston Neuroengineering Team (Data Collection area)
Training session on MoBI data acquisition and EEG cleaning ahead of the Brainstorm in Color data collection at the Children’s Museum. Co-presented with Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, Yoshua E. Lima, and Aime J. Aguilar.
25
Working with Mobile Brain-Body Imaging (MoBI) Technology (BrainAmp + LiveAmp)
June 9, 2025 · NBMIL, University of Houston Co-Presenter
Hands-on session on MoBI hardware setup and recording. Co-presented with Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, Ph.D. and Yoshua E. Lima.
Education
Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Houston
2023 - 2028 (expected) · Qualifier passed Spring 2026 ✅
B.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering
Tecnológico de Monterrey
2019 - 2023 · Highest GPA of class · Honorable Mention for Academic Excellence 🏆 (watch) · (LinkedIn post)
Contact
Phone
(832) 455-1363
Email
mpachec4@cougarnet.uh.edu
Location
University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA