Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Student (Summer 2016)

"During the summer of 2016 I had the opportunity to join the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) as part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Leff, Dr. Tracy Waasdorp, and Dr. Krista Mehari, I gained invaluable experience in the field of injury science research through evidence-based bullying intervention programs. While assisting the team with extensive literature reviews and qualitative data analysis from focus groups, I was also able to conduct my own exploratory analysis on the association between parenting practices and childhood bullying. Thanks to the support of the amazing minds in the Center as well as my team, I am able to continue working on this project and prepare it for conference submission. I can say with great confidence that my experience with CIRP this summer has cultivated my passion for research and because of this experience I will go on to pursue a career grounded in research.

I am currently a rising senior at The College of New Jersey, and I will be graduating with a B.A. in Communication Studies with minors in Public Health and English. I plan to continue working in research before going on to pursue advanced degrees in Public Health. CIRP@CHOP provided me with such an amazing experience this summer, and I owe my future success to the skills and knowledge gained during my time here. I hope to return to Philadelphia one day to continue translating research into improved child health outcomes. Thank you again to the amazing team at CIRP, especially the bullying intervention team, and to CHOP for providing me with a culture so conducive to learning."