I’d like to start this blog by saying how grateful I am to have had this opportunity this summer. I’ve decided to organize my thoughts for this blog with a highlights section and room for improvement section. I’ll begin with the much briefer room for improvement section:
Room for improvement:
1) Certain seminars:
I have been fortunate enough to have been doing research, and with my mentor for this summer, for the past two years. Therefore, I didn’t get much out of the seminar on mentor-mentee relationships, though I understand that that’s important for new researchers. I felt similarly for the seminar on reading literature.
2) (Ironically) One-on-one meetings
I feel weird/bad critiquing this and again understand the desire to have these. But my thing is that I feel like a general check-in meeting wasn’t going to do much for me. I really appreciate and value the help, but I’d much rather be able to seek and receive it when I need it and have specific questions.
3) Sink or swim
I know this pertains mostly to me and my experiences and not to the program in general, but I experienced a sink or swim mentality at times. Due to circumstances mostly outside of her control, my mentor was not able to support me in the way she originally intended or that I had hoped for. For a few weeks, I had no clue what I was doing. I just did what seemed right. There was a lot of trial and error and slow progress, of course, because I have never done my own research project before. So I was definitely frustrated with my extreme independence at times.
Strengths:
1) The diversity seminar:
I really really enjoyed this seminar. It definitely helped me get to know and appreciate my fellow fellows on a deeper level, and to remind me of the importance of acknowledging the different roles that different identifiers play in different people’s lives. I am considering taking her class, too.
2) Presentations & Brown bags
I really enjoyed all the presentation seminars and brown bags. I really liked both of these components of the program because I think they provide the perfect opportunity to learn more about very different fields or areas of research even within your own discipline that I would not have learned about otherwise. I just love learning about new things, especially issues I hadn’t even thought to think of as areas of research. It was also super cool to hear what the other fellows are working on. Moreover, I think presenting a journal article, as well as my own research in the oral presentation tryout, was a valuable learning process for me. Communication with others not in your field/the general public is an important skill as a scientist, it seems.
3) The other fellows
I have really enjoyed working with you all this summer! Everyone is so smart, down-to-earth, and passionate about their work, and just a fun group in general. (And Sam understands both the joys and stresses of CSCAR.)
4) Organization
It was clear from the beginning that WAGSFP was just really well organized and planned out. As someone who likes to always know what’s going on and a planner, I really appreciated that about it.
5) I learned a ton
Lastly, I have truly learned a ton this summer. I’d already learned a ton by week two and I’ve just kept learning. I don’t think I would have developed so many new skills had I just been working in someone’s lab. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity WAGSFP has provided me to be paid to design and conduct my own research study (with TONS of help, of course) as an undergrad.