Written by Claire Wininger, BS candidate at Washington University in St. Louis, and participant in the 2024 Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program
I, like many other college seniors, am struggling to decide what my next steps following graduation are. I have always been fascinated by the brain, and within the past few years, have become even more fascinated by its aging process, as well as related diseases and disorders. I have also always known that I wanted to help people, particularly those who suffer from these diseases. However, I had no idea if a research route in this field was for me. To answer that question, I applied to Washington University in St. Louis’s Institute of Public Health Summer Research Program – Aging and Neurological Diseases Track as my first encounter with real research.
I have had the privilege of working in the PATH (Purpose Aging Transitions Health) lab at Washington University in St. Louis under the guidance of Professor, Patrick Hill, PhD. Although initially I was intimidated by research and the lengthy research process (and still am to a large extent), I was surprised to find joy and excitement in things I didn’t expect. I have loved doing literature reviews, witnessing lab members’ projects develop, and developing, redeveloping, and working through ideas and gathering data for my own project for the summer. I have greatly enjoyed working in an environment where everyone loves learning as much as I do, and where I feel supported in asking questions, making mistakes, and being wrong. I am surrounded by people working to improve wellbeing, and identify, research, and correct implicit biases, racism, ageism, and ableism. I feel inspired every day by the important questions being asked and answered. But wait – you mean I can do that too?!
I still don’t know what my next step is after graduation, and I have obviously only hit the tip of the research iceberg when it comes to experience. But, if research is anything like the research experience I am having this summer, I now know that I want to continue it in any form in the future. And, of course, a huge thank you is needed to Professor Hill, Megan Wilson Wolk, PhD, Kyrsten Hill, PhD, Payton Rule, Jenn Beaty, and Judy Kwak for making research seem really fun, guidance and ideas, and lots of pet pictures!