Written by Ella Riley, BA candidate, University of Arkansas, and participant in the
2024 Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program
This summer has already been one for the books! As a rising junior studying psychology
and gender studies, it was important to me to gain experience in the field of research. Being
accepted into the Summer Research Program – Aging and Neurological Diseases Track has truly been an exciting opportunity. Not only has this program already opened my eyes to so many new things in research, it has also
brought me close to others who share the same drive and passion for research as myself. This
community has shown me that women can also be leaders in the field of scientific research, a
lesson every young woman should learn.
I was placed in the Emotion and Relationships Lab on the Danforth campus, led by
Associate Professor Tammy English, PhD. In the lab, the focus is to study emotion regulation in married couples and how emotion regulation changes as we age. This is studied by running sessions with participants, assessing questionnaires and other methods. The sessions are filled with cognitive and physical tasks to assess the entire emotion regulation process. Though the lab is accepting many new participants, the goal is to have participants from the first wave come back to the lab so we can collect longitudinal data.
During my time in the lab, I have been given the opportunity to interact closely with
participants, improve my communication through phone screening and surveys, and assessing the data that is collected. Working closely with Associate Professor Tammy English, PhD, and Postdoctoral Research Associate Jocelyn Lai, I have been able to ask questions and observe professional research practices to further my knowledge in the field. This opportunity will continue to assist me in the future by preparing me in the field of scientific research and giving me the ability to make connections with many researchers. I am more than excited to see what else the summer brings!