Meet Divya Ganugapati ’19 (CLAS), an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Cognitive Science.
What is the focus of your research/creative activity?
My current research project investigates what aspects of language and phonetic properties of speech contribute to voice identification.
Why did you get involved in research/creative activity?
I got involved in research because I had a curiosity to learn more about the brain. My courses offered me a strong foundation in understanding neural mechanisms, but I had many questions that were unanswered, thus pointing to research as the mechanism to discover answers.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
As a freshman, you face a wide array of opportunities – socially and academically – don’t be afraid to take the time to explore and discover your passions. Being adaptable is the best way to find the major, research, internship, etc. that is best for you.
What do you enjoy the most about participating in research/creative activity?
My favorite part of research is that I create the questions. Unlike in classes, where the curriculum is predetermined in a syllabus, in research I design an entire experiment to follow my own interests. The feeling of intellectual freedom and creativity is something I had not experienced until conducting research.
What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research/creative activity influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?
Doing research in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department actually altered my career interests by swaying me towards medicine. Analyzing fMRI scans, interacting with aphasia patients, and reading literature connecting speech to neurological disorders sparked an interest in neurology and cognitive/communicative disorders.
When I applied to UConn, I had no idea that I would be involved in research as a social science major, as I saw UConn as a center for innovative research in science and engineering. To be completely honest, I just simply thought of research as something that I would never be introduced to and understand.
However, in my first semester as a freshman, I was given the opportunity through the Bennett Research Assistant Program to work alongside Professor Morrell on the Scholio Project. The goal behind our project was to try to promote intellectual humility and public discourse in online news comment sections amid the polarized political climate of today. I was tasked with carrying out research on the latest experiments, assembling a survey for participants, and conducting initial user testing on our experimental platforms.
Here are a few tips that I learned through the course of my research: Continue reading →
Meet Veronica Pleasant ’19 (CAHNR), an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Animal Science and Pathobiology.
What is the focus of your research/creative activity?
I’ve been involved with Dr. Kristen Govoni’s laboratory for the last three years, and our focuses have varied from sheep to neonatal calves, all under the umbrella of maternal programming, or the idea that alterations to the intrauterine environment can impact offspring growth and development. Currently, we are working on the impact of maternal nutrition on the offspring in conjunction with North Dakota State University.
Why did you get involved in research/creative activity?
As a member of Women in Math, Science and Engineering (WiMSE) Learning Community, we were introduced to the idea of getting involved in undergraduate research as part of the FYE class. Although incredibly intimidating, I got the idea that I would really like to try it out, to see if I liked it. Luckily, Dr. Govoni is the faculty director of WiMSE, and I asked her if she had space in her lab, and she did! Here we are three years later, still going strong!
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
Faculty are people too. I think a lot of first year students become intimidated by their professors because they are so knowledgeable, and more experienced. However, having that in-person connection makes all the difference. Faculty members often love to talk about their research, so please don’t hesitate to ask them about it!
What is your greatest accomplishment so far?
Presenting in Vancouver, Canada, was definitely my greatest research accomplishment. It was absolutely terrifying to be representing UConn on an international stage, and in such a scientific capacity with people who have had careers in the animal science field longer than I’ve been alive. However, it went swimmingly, and I am better for the experience!
What are your plans after graduation? How has involvement in research/creative activity influenced your plans and/or prepared you for the future?
My plans after graduation including going to veterinary school for my DVM, and then, or concurrently, my PhD in some facet of infectious disease research. I never, ever, in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be interested in putting myself through school for an additional 7-8 years, but research led me here. Working in the lab has built my confidence, my laboratory skills, and my time management skills in a way no other experience could have. It piqued my interest in doing research for any part of my career, and now I’m actively pursuing my new goals.
My freshman year I received a UConn IDEA grant to complete an independent research project over the summer. My sophomore year, I received a SURF award for the next steps in my research. Although I worked in the same lab both summers, lived on campus, and had more or less the same routine, the two experiences couldn’t have been more different from each other. What changed? I did!
Meet Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG, CLAS), an OUR Peer Research Ambassador (PRA) majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Spanish.
What is the focus of your research/creative activity?
I work in the Hoshino Laboratories developing a novel cerebral spinal fluid shunt capable of detecting flow. Cerebral spinal fluid shunts are the primary form of treatment for hydrocephalus, a disease that causes a buildup of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. Shunts are intended to be lifelong implants but are very prone to failure. In addition, the symptoms of shunt failure are often ambiguous, making it difficult to diagnose. Our device aims to solve this problem by creating a simple, cost effective, and non-invasive way of determining CSF flow through the shunt.
Why did you get involved in research/creative activity?
I initially got involved in research because I was curious about the research process and I wanted to learn more about biomedical engineering. I stayed involved with research because I really enjoy the design process, and it is extremely rewarding to see your ideas come to life. At this point, I’ve been working on my project for over a year now. Throughout this time, I’ve grown as a researcher and learned many useful skills that I wouldn’t have in the classroom.
What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?
When you first join a lab, it may seem very boring or overwhelming. Try to stick with it for a little while and be patient. Most likely, it will take time for you to be given real responsibility and interesting tasks. In the meantime, learn as much as you can by observing those around you and reading relevant literature.
What do you enjoy the most about participating in research/creative activity?
As an engineer, my favorite part of research is the design process. You start with a conceptual goal and a few parameters that must be met, and it’s your job as the researcher to turn that concept into reality. I always start by brainstorming and sketching in my lab notebook. Then, after I’ve fleshed out my idea a bit more, I design it in Solidworks. At this point I seek feedback from other people in the lab, who often point out some problems I missed the first time. Then, I make a procedure for turning the design into reality. Sometimes, that just involves sending the design to Shapeways, other times it requires designing and milling molds. Finally, the design is made. It’s pretty cool to hold a part you designed in your hands, knowing every little detail that went into its creation.
What is your greatest accomplishment so far?
My greatest research accomplishment so far was presenting at the Holster Scholar symposium early in my sophomore year. After spending the whole summer working on my project and struggling to find my place in the lab, it was rewarding to stand up in front of my peers and talk about my accomplishments. Even though that time didn’t mark the height of my research achievements, it signified the end of my first summer doing research full time, living in an apartment, and working independently. I proved to myself that I was capable of seeing my project through to the end, and it felt great!
Our group specializes in molecular modeling & simulation to study biomaterials, biomechanics and biophysical processes associated with the body’s function in health and disease. We are always interested in mentoring self-motivated undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. Multiple projects are available depending on student interest and fit.
More details on the projects can be found at: http://me.engr.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/F18-REU-Anna-Tarakanova.pdf
The student will gain experience in molecular model development, atomistic modeling, coarse-graining approaches, molecular simulation setup and implementation on supercomputers, molecular visualization software, MATLAB/Python scripting, and scientific writing. The student will have a chance to participate in a collaborative project, and if successful, contribute to a scientific publication.
Research activities may include:
– Read and summarize related literature
– Build and iterate molecular models
– Perform simulations on computing cluster
– Post-process data
– Visualize and analyze data
– Meet weekly with faculty member
Commitment: 10 hours/week, including a weekly meeting with faculty member
Course credit available.
Student Qualifications
Helpful experience for all projects: Familiarity with scripting in the Linux environment, molecular modeling with molecular-dynamics-based approaches, experience with Python/MATLAB.
How to Apply
Interested students should email a resume/CV and a brief cover letter to anna.tarakanova@uconn.edu indicating why they are interested in this research opportunity. Please indicate whether you are interested in the Fall semester or both Fall & Spring.
Mentor: Anna Tarakanova, Assistant Professor
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Email: anna.tarakanova@uconn.edu
Timing: Fall 2018, Spring 2019
Campus: Storrs
We are seeking motivated, fluid undergraduate research assistants to assist in data collection for an MRI brain study of parent-offspring similarities in language, reading, and math. Gain valuable experience and methodological skills while helping to understand how language is processed in the brain. Research assistants should commit to 6-9 hrs/week (2-3 PSYC 3889 credits) for Fall 2018-Spring 2019.
Student Qualifications
Required qualifications:
– Reliable
– Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
– Availability to assist in weekend data collection
Preferred qualifications:
– Experience working with children age 8-11
How to Apply
Email roeland.hancock@uconn.edu with a CV/resume. Include any relevant coursework, skills or experience, and a short statement of why the position interests you.
Mentor: Roeland Hancock, Assistant Professor
Department: Psychological Sciences
Email: roeland.hancock@uconn.edu
Timing: Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Campus: Storrs
Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in spring 2018. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.
AWARDS
Congratulations to Colby Buehler ’18 (ENG), Sydney Carr ’18 (CLAS), Vince Pistritto ’18 (CLAS, SFA), and Daniel Wackelin ’18 (ENG), the undergraduate recipients of 2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! They are among the 12 UConn students and alumni who won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships this year. Three other talented undergraduate researchers, Amy Robinson ’18 (ENG), Nicholas Russo ’18 (CLAS), and Nicholas Oliveira ’18 (ENG) received Honorable Mention recognition.
Naseem Sardashti ’18 (ENG), an undergraduate research in the Health Research Program working under the guidance of Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar, was awarded 3rd place at the 2018 Northeast Bioengineering Conference for her and her team’s work on the synthesis of hybrid skin models for product evaluation.
PUBLICATIONS
Jamasia Williams ’20 (CLAS), a participant in the Work-Study Research Assistant Program, was a co-author on a recent publication based on research conducted with Dr. Molly Waring:
Waring, M.E., Jake-Schoffman, D.E., Holovatska, M.M., Mejia, C., Williams, J.C., & Pagoto, S.L.(2018). Social media and obesity in adults: a review of recent research and future directions. Current Diabetes Reports, 18:34. doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-1001-9.
EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS
Spring 2018 included a series of art exhibitions and screenings by the following undergraduate students:
Matthew Bilmes ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient Exit: A Short Film
Kiana Cao ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient An Examination of Immigration: A look into Buddhism, Community & Refugees
Yanlin (Eva) Hu ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient CHU: A Solo Exhibition of Ceramic Sculpture
James Keth ’19 (SFA, CLAS) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient The Khmer – A Personal Journey: On being Cambodian American
Austin MacDonald ’18 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient & UConn Co-op Legacy Fellow Prodigal: The Sentinel’s Garden
Emy Regan ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient Clementine: The Adventures at Foxhead Manor
PRESENTATIONS
Joint Mathematics Meetings – January 10-13, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Rajeshwari Majumdar ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Applications of Multiplicative LLN and CLT for Random Matrices
Anthony Sisti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Black-Scholes Using The Central Limit Theorem
Plant and Animal Genome XXVI Conference – January 13-17, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Madison Caballero ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Designing a Genotyping Array for Genomic Selection in Loblolly Pine
Alexander Trouern-Trend ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Comparative Genomics of the Juglandacea
Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR)
Conference on Electronic and Advanced Materials – January 17-19, 2018 – Orlando, FL
Hope Whitelock ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Real Nanoparticles Have Curves: Exploring the Polar Phase Transition Topology in Superellipsoidal Nanoparticles
International Stroke Conference – January 23-26, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA
Maria Antony ’19 (CLAS, CAHNR) – ISC Junior Investigator Travel Award recipient
Oral presentation: Restoration of MiRNA MiR-181c-5p–Rescue From the Detrimental Effect of Social Isolation in the Mice Subjected to Ischemic Stroke
Ocean Sciences Meeting – February 11-16, 2018 – Portland, OR
Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS)
Jessica Hinckley ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Investigating Dissolved Gas Concentrations and Alkalinity in a Long Island Sound Time Series
International Neuropsychological Society Conference – February 14-17, 2018 – Washington, DC
Debra Tomasino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Informant Report of Cognitive Functioning in Geriatric Depression: Correlates with Objective Cognitive Tests and Structural Imaging
Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting – February 22-25, 2018, Baltimore, MD
Caroline Brooks ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Cross Sectional Time Series Analysis on the Impacts of Race on Homeownership
Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS) A Healthy Food Inventory of Waterbury, CT
Eastern Psychological Association Meeting – March 1-3, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Allison Arnista ’18 (CLAS) & Kyrstyn Jenkins ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Evaluating Mechanisms of Reward Enhancement by Nicotine in Humans
Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS)
Dilsara Liyanage ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient The EEG Mu Rhythm and Language Abilities in 18- and 24-Month-Olds
Morgan Livingston ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Longitudinal Outcome of Attention Modification Training for Social Anxiety
Adam Mealy ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Longitudinal Stability of Hostile Attention Allocation, Attention Bias, and Hostility Symptoms
Michelle Padua ’18 (CLAS) & Skyler Sklenarik ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Behavioral Biases in People at Risk for Problematic Gambling
Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting – March 16-18, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Benjamin Redenti ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Risk Stratification System for Use in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) and Correlation with Adverse Events During Hospital Admissions
Margaux Verlaque-Amara ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Impact of State-By-State Adoption of Key Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Provisions on PED Patients
American Chemical Society National Meeting – March 18-22, 2018 – New Orleans, LA
Caroline Anastasia ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Multicomponent Flexible Film of Organometallic Polymers with Polyimide as High k and Low Loss Dielectric
Northeast Writing Center Association Conference – March 24-25, 2018 – Worcester, MA
Joseph Greenwald ’18 (BUS), Daniel Johnson ’18 (CLAS), & Kaylee Thurlow ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Cracking the Code: A Method for Designing and Implementing a Writing Center Honor Code
Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) & Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Assessing Our Practice: A Writing Center Fellow-To-Fellow Support System
Odia Kane ’19 (CLAS) and Kharl Reynado ’19 (CLAS)
Anneliese Lapides ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Reassessing Our Responses to the Everyday Language of Oppression
Sierra Rice ’18 (ED) – OUR Travel Award recipient Hosting a Regional Middle and High School Conference: A Practical Model
Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting – March 24-27, 2018 – Boston, MA
Roisin Healy ’19 (CLAS) & Jonathan Serino ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients Understanding “Thunder” is More Difficult than “Rainbow” when Performing a Concurrent Auditory Task
Northeast Bioengineering Conference – March 28-30, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA
Garrett Soler ’18 (ENG) An Economical & Ergonomic Hydrocephalus Software System
New England Science Symposium – April 8, 2018 – Boston, MA
Brian Aguilera ’19 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient CD13 Promotes Tunneling Nanotube Formation and Cell-cell Communication in Human Endothelial Cells and Mouse Primary Macrophages
Eastern Nursing Research Society Annual Scientific Sessions – April 11-13, 2018 – Newark, NJ
Courtney Lopiano ’18 (NUR) A Battle on Opiates: The NICU Nurse’s Perspective on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting – April 20, 2018 – Hartford, CT
Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR)
Kayla Hope ’18 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient What Type 1 Diabetes Nutrition Advice is Being Shared on Twitter and Who is Sharing It?
Experimental Biology Conference – April 21-25, 2018 – San Diego, CA
Jordyn Dickey ’18 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient Analysis of Physiology and Neurobiology (PNB) 2265 Course Redesign
In recognition of the pivotal role that mentors play in supporting undergraduate research and creative activity, the Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the recipents of the 2018 Mentorship Excellence Awards. These awards recognize two faculty members – one in a STEM field, and one in a non-STEM field – and one graduate student who exemplify the ways in which outstanding mentors challenge and support their students, enabling them to take intellectual risks and achieve milestones they might not have initially envisioned being able to reach.
The 2018 Mentorship Excellence Awards were presented to Andrea Voyer, Nicholas Eddy, and Laura Mickelsen during the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition on Friday, April 13, 2018.
Andrea Voyer, Assistant Professor, Sociology
Professor Voyer’s award was presented by Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Savannah-Nicole’s presentation remarks.
Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’18 (CLAS) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Andrea Voyer.
I had Dr. Voyer for one of the required classes for our major, social theory. Dr. Voyer gracefully worked us through the dense theories of 19th century sociologists. It was my first time engaging with sociological theory, and many of us were struggling to understand the concepts. Dr. Voyer was patient with us as we tried to make connections to the material. She was encouraging so that we weren’t afraid of being wrong, and was personable in a way that encouraged students to work harder.
This mentality was one that she brought with her when we began the IDEA Grant application process. When we started discussing the possibility of applying, she did not bring me in to work on something she was interested in. In our first meeting, she asked me what I was passionate about and I could tell she genuinely cared. Dr. Voyer was the first person to believe in my passions and to tell me that my research questions were valid. We spent months working on the application process, and when the grant was approved, I knew it would not have been possible without her guidance.
With her own incredible research and personal life, she has always been accessible to discuss the newest challenge I faced. Instead of just providing answers, she would offer suggestions on ways to problem solve to reach reasonable solutions. Even though Dr. Voyer has been away this school year, she has helped me apply (and be accepted) to graduate school, supported (and protected) me at my first research conference, and has shown me what an academic mentor should be.
Nicholas Eddy, Assistant Professor in Residence, Chemistry
Professor Eddy’s award was presented by Pranjali Ichalkaranje ’18 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Pranjali’s presentation remarks.
Pranjali Ichalkaranje ’18 (CLAS) presents the award to her mentor, Professor Nicholas Eddy.
Research with Dr. Eddy has been the most rewarding experience I could have wished for as an undergraduate. I was able to grow tremendously by obtaining knowledge and skills applicable not only in research but also other aspects of life. In terms of research, teaching an undergraduate student with experience in life sciences but limited knowledge in Organic Chemistry was a challenging task that Dr. Eddy took on with no hesitation.
I was challenged each day, whether it was mixing a solution or reading articles with little background on the material. He was not afraid to hold me to a higher standard and push me beyond my limits, allowing me to put classroom knowledge into practice and increase my critical thinking and problem solving skills. He encouraged me to read, write, ask questions, and – most importantly – make mistakes. Though I made more than he agrees to, he offered reassuring and constructive feedback each time. Most importantly, he made sure I had everything I needed to succeed in anything I put my mind to – a role he took on as my mentor.
My research experience opened my eyes to career opportunities in research and medicine. I have been able to grow immensely as a scientist, researcher, student, writer, teacher and an overall individual.
Dr. Eddy represents the diligence, passion and commitment that students, scientists and teachers need on a daily basis. He puts his students, researchers and colleagues before himself. He is the highlight of the students’ day, and a source of comfort for many as they embark on their undergraduate experience.
Laura Mickelsen, Ph.D. Candidate, Physiology and Neurobiology, Jackson Laboratory
Laura was presented with her award by Eric Beltrami ’19 (CLAS) and Jacob Naparstek ’18 (CLAS), two of the undergraduate researchers who work under her supervision in the Jackson lab. The following text is excerpted from Eric’s presentation remarks.
Award winner Laura Mickelsen, center, is pictured with undergraduate researchers James Costanzo, Jacob Naparstek, and Eric Beltrami, as well as Professor Alexander Jackson.
Laura is an incredible scientist and speaker, and she has made an effort to help develop those skills in us. She challenges us to explain our projects and try to troubleshoot our setbacks independently so that when we present our work we are prepared to take ownership of what we did and understand the scientific process behind it thoroughly.
Laura’s exceptional mentorship is not limited to guidance in our research projects. Laura has fostered a family of people who deeply care about one another… and the lateral hypothalamus. Laura makes coming to lab not only incredibly productive but also fun. With her effortless humor and kind heart she has made lab somewhere we look forward to going every day. She never hesitates to make sure we are keeping up in our courses and ask us about our extracurricular involvement. It is clear to us that she cares about our personal lives and is always there to provide us guidance in our daily life and about our career goals. I can honestly say that Laura’s mentorship was a major factor in my decision to pursue a career in which I can make research a part of my life.
Laura, whatever path you take on your journey to success will be an amazing and rewarding one because of your incredible dedication and love for what you do. I am constantly inspired by your personal drive and ability to master such a diverse set of skills. James, Jake and I cannot thank you enough for everything.
Congratulations to the 2018 award recipients! The Office of Undergraduate Research thanks the undergraduate students who nominated their faculty and graduate student mentors as well as the Peer Research Ambassadors who served on this year’s selection committee.
The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the selection of 59 undergraduate students to receive SURF Awards in support of their summer undergraduate research projects.
Click here to view the full list of Summer 2018 SURF awardees.
Congratulations, SURF awardees! Your academic achievements, curiosity, initiative, and motivation were evident in your applications. You have an exciting summer of deep engagement with the process of academic inquiry ahead of you. We look forward to hearing about all you learn and discover!
We thank the faculty members who supported SURF applicants in a range of roles: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members. SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. This program would not be possible without the support and participation of the UConn faculty!
OUR also extends thanks to SURF supporters in the UConn community. We are grateful to the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and to the Deans of the Schools and Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; Engineering; Fine Arts; Nursing; and Pharmacy, who all contributed funding to the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. This collaborative funding effort ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of undergraduate research endeavors. We are grateful to all of our program partners for making intensive summer research opportunities available to students seeking to enrich their undergraduate experience in this way.
Once again, congratulations to the recipients of 2018 SURF awards, and good luck with your summer projects!
https://events.uconn.edu/live/json/v2/events/response_fields/location,summary/date_format/%25F%20%25j,%20%25Y/group/Office of Undergraduate Research/max/4/start_date/today/end_date/6 months/
When I applied to UConn, I had no idea that I would be involved in research as a social science major, as I saw UConn as a center for innovative research in science and engineering. To be completely honest, I just simply thought of research as something that I would never be introduced to and understand.
My freshman year I received a UConn IDEA grant to complete an independent research project over the summer. My sophomore year, I received a SURF award for the next steps in my research. Although I worked in the same lab both summers, lived on campus, and had more or less the same routine, the two experiences couldn’t have been more different from each other. What changed? I did!
