Natalie
Please provide a brief summary of your research.
I took the lead on adapting a manual to be used in the quantitative analysis of behavioral regulation skills in 12-month olds. This contributes to larger research on the earliest emergence of psychopathology in infancy and early childhood.
What made you interested in pursuing interdisciplinary research more broadly?
I am interested in clinical or academic research as a career path, specifically in the field of developmental neuroscience and psychology. I was looking for hands-on experience in research so I could get a better idea of what a career in research may look like.
What made you initially interested in researching your project in particular?
I am interested in infant and early childhood development, and Dr. MacNeill’s work struck me as having very important and relevant implications for future use as our focus on early mental health intervention increases. This project allowed me to increase my knowledge of early childhood development directly while also working on the “back-end” of developing research questions and methods.
Describe your experiences with research thus far in your career.
My experience was very informative and engaging. I definitely had to shift my mentality from a student’s perspective to a direct contributor to a project, and in doing so assumed a lot of responsibility and self-discipline. I had the chance to improve upon my academic writing and also learned the ins and outs of behavioral coding, which I had never done before.
Any tips or advice you have for students interested in pursuing undergraduate research?
The hardest part is starting! I recommend doing some preliminary research into what labs are out there doing work that interests you and reaching out to get more information. Most PIs are willing and excited to talk to you about their research so that you can get a better idea of what you’re really interested in. The Office of Undergraduate Research has so many resources and people willing to chat about getting started in research, so definitely take advantage of that resource too (I took the SRW class my sophomore year and it was extremely helpful)!
Favorite breakfast food?
Breakfast Burritos!