Alexis Hiatt

Describe the steps you took to obtain your internship/research opportunity/fellowship.

I researched the opportunities through the Psychology Department and found one that interested me. Then, I completed an application and reached out to the lab supervisor about becoming a part of the lab.

How far in advance did you prepare and begin applying for your experiential learning opportunity?

A few months before the beginning of the semester.

Describe some of your responsibilities or duties during your experiential learning opportunity.

My responsibilities included ensuring the computer software and lab chamber was set-up prior to the arrival of the participant, mentor my assist to work to become a lead, and record observations throughout the study visit.

What was a typical day like "on the job?"

A typical day in the lab involved preparing for a study visit by setting up the lab chamber and computer programs used. Once the participant arrived, it meant providing instruction and working with the assist to complete the tasks for the study visit. Throughout the study, observations and data are recorded. Following the visit, data I saved data for later use. 

What are some major takeaways from your experience? How will these help prepare you for the next step after graduation?

One major takeaway from this experience is that attention to detail can be extremely important when it comes to logging viable data. Another major takeaway is that even though problems occur, quickly finding a solution can go a long way. These will help me prepare for after graduation because attention to detail and problem-solving skills are important for any job.

Did this experience help clarify your career path? If yes, how so?

Even though I started this experience with no intention of going into a lab after graduation, this experience did help me realize that research can be interesting and could pertain to the career path I'm looking into.