I have volunteered in Edward Wasserman's Comparative Cognition Lab in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department. Their main objective is to uncover patterns and general mechanisms in pigeons' cognitions. Utilizing the pigeon's evolutionarily old cognitive association system (which we also have) and a box equipped with a touchscreen, they can infer about human behavior. Pigeons' decisions in computer tasks related to memory, association creation, and learning are converted into raw data. That data is then analyzed for patterns using the programming software, R, and to me, watching a trend emerge through graphs is fulfilling and genuinely exciting! 

I entered Iowa in the Psychology BA program and took the required neuroscience class during my first year. I found the course very challenging, however, I couldn't stop thinking about it when it was over. On a whim, I switched to a Neuroscience BS at the beginning of my sophomore year. I can now say it has been HARD! There are other expectations like volunteering, being in clubs and extracurriculars, and doing research that takes time away from your classes, but it takes those hands-on experiences to understand what you are fulfilled by and how you deal with stress. They can lead you to opportunities you LOVE (maybe it's research) and put you in rooms with people you enjoy. 

Conversations with my PIs/professors have been one of my favorite parts of researching and taking STEM classes. If you are looking to reach out to faculty but are nervous, or you want to find labs but are unsure of where to start, contact us to talk!  

When I'm not doing research or classes, I'm probably listening to music or hanging out with my friends. I love shopping, skiing, water-coloring, doodling, and reading occasionally. GAWKS