What years did you participate in UROP?

2010-2011

What UROP Program(s) were you a part of?

Traditional UROP as a Freshman

Summer - Social Science & Humanities Summer Fellowship

What made you choose UROP?

I can’t tell you what I wrote in my application essay, but at the time research was something I knew I had to do as a pre-requisite to medical school. Ironically enough, I enjoyed research so much that I went on to pursue it as a career instead!

What do you think you have learned from your UROP experience?

Through UROP, I put a theoretical understanding of research into practice, and this hands-on experience of recruiting participants, helping run studies, and coding data was foundational to my understanding of good research. I went on to accept the Summer Social Science & Humanities Fellowship, where I conducted literature reviews, assisted with IRBs, and dived into data analyses for the first time. Since then, I am lucky to have worked across a wide range of fields (public health, medicine, biotechnology) and have built upon the data analyses and research methods I learned in UROP.

What is the extent to which you have kept in contact with your Research Mentor?

I have not kept in touch with my mentor as much as I would have liked. Perhaps now might be the perfect time to reach out!

How did your UROP experience shape or inform the next steps you took in your academic and professional journey?

UROP gave me the confidence to pursue research in a way I had not originally considered. After UROP, I went on to do behavioral health research at another University of Michigan lab, Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University. Although I cannot pinpoint the exact catalytic moment, research clearly became the focus of my career!

Where are you in your professional journey?

After completing my MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, I have been working at the intersection of the arts and digital health. At the Harvard University Global Health Education and Learning Incubator (GHELI) and Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute I have used visual art as a medium for communicating challenging concepts through engaging content and exploring the role of music, movement, and visual arts on biopsychosocial health, respectively. I am passionate about developmental and behavioral health and am armed not only with a strong research background, but also with art and technology as tools for creating evidence-based social change in this focus area. I have used my innovative skill set to start a natural dog treat company, Street Dog Bakery. I am currently working at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry in digital health programs. 

What advice would you give to a current UROP student?

Participate as much as you can—your research experience is what you make of it. Between the classes and organizations it’s hard to carve out extra time to devote to research, but building a relationship with your mentor, staying on top of literature in the field, and engaging in journal club will be well worth it.