Amie Smith
former Psychology Honours student
1. What have you been up to since graduating? If in a graduate program and if you know, what will you do with your degree?
“Since graduating with an honour’s degree in Psychology in April 2021, I received the wonderful opportunity to work as a remote research assistant for Dr. Claudia Gonzalez and her Vision and Cognition Lab, researching anxiety and cognitive function in older adults. I then decided to apply to a graduate program the following year for a Master of Public Health (MPH) and was accepted to the University of Saskatchewan starting in September of 2022. I am now in my second and final year of my MPH course-based program and have recently returned from completing my 3-month field practicum in Barbados. During my practicum, I worked at the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, where I was helping to develop an implementation plan on the feasibility of introducing mobile phone surveys in Barbados to collect population health data on non-communicable diseases.
I am still deciding what path to take once I complete my MPH degree. There are so many exciting opportunities in the field of public health it is hard to choose! I enjoy global health and program evaluation, so working with any government agency, like the Centre of Disease Control, or the Pan-American Health Organization would be amazing! “
2. How did working in the lab in your UG degree help you, if at all, achieve your post graduate goals?
“Working in the lab during my undergrad degree helped me learn how to manage my research projects and taught me how to use different types of online surveys and experiment builder platforms. Working in the lab also taught me the proper protocols for collecting participant data and the importance of ethics applications and approval. These skills were extremely helpful in transitioning into my MPH, where I had to take biostatics and other research method courses.”
3. What did you enjoy the most and would you recommend research to other students?
“There was so much I enjoyed while working in the lab during and after my undergrad. I enjoyed recruiting and collecting participant data, interacting with participants and, most of all, administering cognitive assessments. I would definitely recommend research to any student curious about working in a lab or wanting to gain more hands-on experience. Being involved in research is exciting and opens the doors to many opportunities you may not have thought about!”
Aina Roenningen
1. What have you been up to since graduating? If in a graduate program and if you know, what will you do with your degree?
“I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (hons.) in 2021. In February that year, I was admitted into a Master’s program in Psychology (Cognitive and Neural Sciences) at Simon Fraser University. I started the program in September 2021 working in the Translational Neuroscience Lab (TNL) with Dr. Brianne Kent as my supervisor. We investigated the relationship between sleep and performance on pattern separation and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), aiming to identify one or more sleep-dependent cognitive tests. In November 2023, I defended my MA thesis and applied to the Doctor of Philosophy program in the Cognitive and Neural Sciences area, continuing in the same line of research in the TNL. For my PhD, we will be conducting research on what makes the brain resilient to future cognitive decline and will be including many different variables. In the future, I envision myself in a position in academia, engaging in teaching, research, and mentorship. I would also like to explore opportunities in industry, particularly in roles such as managing clinical trials.”
2. How did working in the lab in your UG degree help you, if at all, achieve your post graduate goals?
“Working in Dr. Gonzalez’ Vision and Cognition Lab increased my interest in brain aging and how it may affect different cognitive performances. I also learned how to conduct an online experiment using an online experiment platform and different surveys that could be implemented remotely. Conducting research during lock-down taught me a lot about participant compliance. Learning about how to write literature reviews and methods have also been extremely valuable for achieving my post-graduate goals, such as when writing my MA thesis.”
3. What did you enjoy the most and would you recommend research to other students?
“While I was working in Dr. Gonzalez’ lab, I greatly enjoyed designing our online experiment and putting the different components together. I also enjoyed recruiting participants and running different tests on the participant data. During my Master’s degree, I tested participants in-person, which I also greatly enjoyed. Interacting with the participants and learning how to run experiments in-person was a very valuable experience. For any student who is curious about research and how research is conducted, I would highly recommend reaching out to different labs aligned with their interest. Involvement in a lab setting not only offers exciting research opportunities but also provides invaluable insights into potential educational and career paths.”