Meet Poorna Balakumar ’23, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology, Pathobiology, and Asian Arts, Culture, and Feminism.

What is the focus of your research?

I currently conduct research under Dr. Geary in the Pathobiology Department. The focus of my research is to understand the mechanisms of how different microbial pathogens cause respiratory disease in humans, and to develop vaccines against these pathogens.

I also started conducting researching under Dr. Cohen in the Drama Department. The focus of my research there is to explore the different representations of gender in Indian theatre throughout history, and to analyze the gendered experience of first-generation women learning Indian classical dance transnationally. Continue reading →

Meet Drew Tienken ’22, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) double majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science.

What is the focus of your research?

The focus of my research is how to prevent the degradation of coastal wetlands against accelerated sea level rise associated with climate change! Salt marshes and other tidal wetlands are at risk of drowning, and I study how to mitigate the effects of high water levels while maximizing many of the important ecosystem services salt marshes provide.

Why did you get involved in research?

I got involved in research because I found myself wanting to know more, and constantly asking deeper questions in class about environmental systems I was interested in. For me, research is a way to explore the world around me and learn more about the environmental mechanisms that drive the functions of the planet. Continue reading →

Meet Michelle Antony ’23, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) double majoring Molecular & Cell Biology and Community Health.

What is the focus of your research?

The focus of my research is to develop cartilage repair approaches for individuals with joint injury who are at risk for developing osteoarthritis, a painful degenerative disease of the cartilage.

Why did you get involved in research?

I got started in undergraduate research because it was an opportunity to supplement what I was learning in the classroom, and it allowed me to gain more insight into the process of scientific inquiry. Being at UConn Health and getting involved in biomedical research gave me an appreciation for the bench to bedside process where research results from the laboratory can be taken into the clinic. As an aspiring physician, the ability to work on cutting-edge research that can directly affect patient health is so exciting. Continue reading →

Meet Alex Clonan ’22, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) double majoring in Electrical Engineering and Molecular & Cell Biology.

What is the focus of your research?

Currently the main two projects that I have been focusing on are my undergraduate research project in the Escabi Lab in the Biomedical Engineering department, as well as a social impact project I have been working on through the Change Grant. In my engineering lab, I work with auditory signal analysis and physiological model experiments of the auditory system. With my Change Grant, I am trying to incorporate STEM education for engineering into a clinical pediatric setting, to improve engagement in STEM from a young age. Continue reading →

Meet Elisa Shaholli ’23, an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Economics and minoring in English and Global Studies.

What is the focus of your research?

I do research in the field of Disability Studies! It’s a field that’s interdisciplinary and can span from Economics to English to Psychology and more. I’ve done a research project concerning the analysis of disability in film (a project that was primarily rooted in the English discipline), a project about the social experience of diabetes and disability “passing” (a project rooted in social sciences), and am planning on making Economics and disability a focus for my thesis!

Why did you get involved in research?

In high school, whenever I learned about disability or disease in any context, it was always biomedical or scientific. I never was really exposed to disability in regards to history or sociology or even in literary texts, even though a very large portion of the world population has a disability of some kind. I wanted to work on research concerning disability in social contexts, and Disability Studies was the perfect field for that. Hopefully through my research, people can at least learn a bit more than they originally did! Continue reading →