Tyler Fortman, Psychology

"Undergraduate research = advantage. My senior honors thesis allowed me to practice the research methods I learned in the classroom and apply my knowledge to the real world. It also bolstered my résumé and received notice from graduate school faculty who commented during my interviews, "Your research background is impressive" and "We would love for you to bring your research background to" this program." More than any other academic or extracurricular activity, undergraduate research propelled me into graduate school and an assistantship that pays for graduate school. The rewards far outweigh the effort."

 

Mark Bodkin, Sociology

"Getting involved in research at OSU-Mansfield was the best decision I ever made. Not only did it enrich my undergraduate experience in a way that classes alone cannot, but it allowed me to work closely with faculty. Doing research as an undergraduate gave me a taste of what graduate work is like, and my research interests played an important part in my decision to go to graduate school. Now that I'm in my first year of graduate school at North Carolina State University, I look back on my undergraduate research experience and am thankful for all the benefits it provided me."

 

 

Rachel Culler, Math and Biology

"I started working with Dr. Abedon the summer before last and it has really changed my entire understanding of what research is all about. Prior to my working with him, I had no idea how directly related biological sciences and mathematics could truly be. They were always presented in very distinct separate ways, and I enjoyed learning about each area. Thankfully, things are not always as clear-cut as they seem. Dr. Abedon's research on phage optimal latent period optimization gave me a unique view of microbiology and mathematics intertwined. I was continuously fascinated by how many concepts that I had learned in calculus could be directly applied to bacteriophage plaque formation. The more math courses I take, I continue to see more connections between the mathematical concepts and their biological applications. I am continuo usly amazed, and this is one of the reasons why I decided to change my major from pharmaceutical science, to a math and biology double major. I am so thankful to have had this exciting opportunity working with Dr. Abedon."