By Michela Brown, Peer Research Ambassador

Presenting at a conference can be an exhilarating yet nerve-wracking experience. This past January I had the opportunity to share my research at the Plant and Animal Genome conference in San Diego. It was the first time I presented my research, especially in front of scientists who share opposing or similar interests. I had a lot of anxiety and uncertainty when preparing to attend the conference, and I wanted to share some personal insight on how to make the most of your experience.

Building Confidence through Preparation

Confidence doesn’t come overnight; it’s built through preparation. When applying to present, you will have to submit an abstract (summary of your research) months before you attend. It is good to have the data you want to present completed before writing or submitting your abstract. This will allow you to know you are certain you will be presenting what you write about. Also, I encourage you to begin writing your abstract about one month before it is due to allow your Principal Investigator (PI) and co-authors to review what you have. You will typically have at least two months from the abstracts due date to form your poster before the conference date. It’s a great idea to use that time wisely and spend a few minutes a day organizing your layout, coming up with key ideas to add, or forming your data charts and graphs. I know from personal experience not to wait until the last few weeks to finish or even start preparing to present at a conference. I didn’t finish my poster for the one I attended until the week before I left and had to strategize how to have my poster printed before I flew across the country. I received my poster the day before my flight, and I felt an immense amount of stress that carried into the beginning of my trip. I felt unorganized and unprepared but managed to make the most of my experience after some time. Continue reading →

By Andrei Abarientos, Peer Research Ambassador

I’ll be the first to admit I’m still figuring things out: in my research, in my career, in my life. When people ask what I want to do with myself after college, I jokingly say: “maybe research, maybe medicine, maybe some secret third option.” The truth is, that secret third option is literally anything else. Sometimes, I think I could teach, others I think I could go into science policy or public health. Sometimes (especially around exam season) I think about dropping out, running away and living in the mountains.

I spent a long time thinking that maybe my personality was incompatible with research. I’m someone whose interests are still so broad, but much of research is narrow by design: you spend your time working on a specific social phenomenon, a specific protein, a specific disease. I was just interested in too much, I thought. Still, I jumped in, maybe for the wrong reasons; it seemed like everyone was doing research, and I wanted to give it a shot. Continue reading →

By Grace Vaidian, Peer Research Ambassador

In my previous blog post “Tips for Starting an Independent Research Project”, I provided advice on developing a self-driven research project. While the pursuit of independent projects is undeniably valuable, the reality for many undergraduate students seeking research involves participation in collaborative research. Solo projects need funding and resources, which can be hard to obtain alone. Collaborative projects often offer more accessible routes into research, leveraging existing resources and established teams. This could be through a research lab or joining a professor’s ongoing study. In this blog, I will explore key tips for successful collaborative research projects, drawing from personal experiences and lessons learned.  Continue reading →

By Darren Lee, Peer Research Ambassador

Looking back at the last three years, I can say with confidence that research is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had during my time at UConn—it’s been an incredible opportunity to dive into my field and understand the scientific process up close. However, I’ve also learned that it’s often a difficult, grinding process rife with setbacks and failures. Although it can be deeply satisfying to finally establish a protocol or collect a set of results after months of hard work, it’s equally true that a lot of the time, you feel like you’re on a long road to nowhere. Even as someone who really enjoys research most of the time, there have certainly been occasions where I’ve put my head down on the bench questioning my life decisions! Whenever I’m struck with that feeling, it helps me a lot to think about where it’s coming from. With that, let’s talk about some reasons why you might be feeling down about your research right now and what you can do to pull yourself out of it. Continue reading →

By Lucie Lopez, Peer Research Ambassador

Engaging in research as an undergraduate student can lead to wanting to pursue research as a career, which comes in the form of a Ph.D. for many students. This path was true for me as my experiences as an undergraduate research assistant, SHARE (Social Sciences Humanities and Arts Research Experience) apprentice, and IDEA Grant Recipient have shaped my career goals. Once I realized I wanted to further explore research by getting a Ph.D., I embarked on the journey of applying.

When I was applying, I had many questions, but I didn’t always know who to ask because I didn’t know many people who had been through the process. However, those people who I did know were invaluable resources, as they had first-hand experience and could give me great tips and advice when going through all stages, from researching programs to interviewing.

If you’ve just started thinking about getting a Ph.D. or if you’re about to go to your first interview, I hope the tips below can help you out with the application process. Continue reading →

By Riley Beckham, Peer Research Ambassador

Almost four years ago, I began my journey at UConn pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.  Like many aspiring engineers, I knew that I had chosen a difficult major. At the time, I was excited by the challenge and eager to prove myself in my chosen field. I knew the next four years would be filled with learning and growth opportunities, and I was excited to overcome the challenges associated with this degree.

What I could not anticipate at the time was how all-consuming my academics would become. I felt like all I had time for, day and night, was school. Wake-up, go to class, come home, do homework and study well into the evening, go to bed late, wake-up the next day. Rinse and repeat, day-in and day-out. Weekends? What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than studying at the library?
Continue reading →

By Krithika Santhanam, Peer Research Ambassador

If you’ve read my bio, you know that I am a pre-medical student studying Molecular and Cell Biology. This part of my UConn story aligns with my described research experience: an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Caroline Dealy’s laboratory at UConn Health and co-president of UConn Pre-Medical Society. However, my UConn journey does not end there.

After being in a STEM laboratory for 2 years, I decided to swim into uncharted waters and pursue non-STEM research, something your typical pre-medical student might not do. I also have an individualized major in Health Policy and Racial Disparities which provoked my current research exploring the experiences of individuals with disabilities in South India through UConn’s BOLD Women’s Leadership Network and a preventative screening volunteer for UConn Health Leaders.

How did I get here, and more importantly, why did I step outside the typical pre-med path? Continue reading →

By Emma Beard, Peer Research Ambassador

Presenting your work is one of the most important skills a researcher can learn. One of the best ways to practice this skill and share your work with a large audience is attending a research conference. I had the opportunity to present my research at Cell Bio 2023, the American Society for Cell Biology’s annual meeting, in Boston this past December. Getting to present a poster at such a large conference was an incredible experience, but there were a few things I wish I had known going into the meeting that I hope others can learn from to make the most of their conference participation!

 1. Know your audience, especially when they are familiar with your field

This point may seem self-explanatory, but it was something I was unprepared for. Before Cell Bio 2023, I had only ever presented my research at poster sessions for UConn undergraduates like Frontiers. These events helped me develop skills in designing posters (maybe link https://ugradresearch.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/323/2014/02/Poster-Preparation.pdf) and speaking about my research (maybe link https://ugradresearch.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/323/2014/02/Poster-Prepare-Yourself.pdf), but since Frontiers is open to all fields of research, the way I presented was tailored to an audience less familiar with cell biology.

National or international conferences usually have a more specific focus. Cell biology is a very broad field, so not everyone was familiar with my research, but I was very excited to have a few people who worked in similar areas visit my poster! The only problem was that I had only practiced one version of my presentation that was geared towards a general cell biology audience. Whenever I gave this talk to someone in a similar field, they had many specific questions at the end that I likely could have addressed during the presentation if I had known their background. I think it would be helpful to get to know more about the people visiting the poster first to get a sense of their background, and also practice including or omitting specific details in the presentation based on each person’s research interests. Continue reading →

By Anabelle Bergstrom, Peer Research Ambassador

You’ve probably been told hundreds of times how important it is to maintain positive connections with others. Whether it be your academic, social, or professional life, there are always events you can attend that help you meet others with similar aspirations. Getting to a venue on time isn’t too hard to do. What happens when you get there? Who do you talk to if you don’t know anyone? These are all normal questions that may be in your mind as you begin to learn how to network.

I have come to enjoy attending networking events with others who have similar goals or experiences to myself. Last spring, I attended the New England Political Science Association’s annual conference to present my Holster Scholar project. Being one of the only undergraduates in attendance, I was nervous that I wouldn’t have anyone to converse with. After a few attempts, I found my own way of conversing with professors and students alike. Since then, I have grown much more comfortable networking at most events. I was not born with networking skills. Instead, I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone to practice. Not only have I gotten better at networking, but I have also built a strong support system around me which has given me new professional opportunities. Without starting a conversation with others, I may not have some of the positions I do now. Continue reading →