Weekly WISE #3
Welcome back to the Weekly WISE! This week we’ll hear from Bella S., Mya S., Tillie H., Bridget B. & Claire E. to learn about their positions and experience so far in the SSEP.
Bella S., Research Assistant in the Department of Psychology
Hello, my name is Bella, and this summer I have the privilege of working within the Department of Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Heath Matheson! As part of my placement, I am contributing to research in the CREATAE Lab—an acronym for Conceptual Representation & Embodied Action in Thought & Experience. The work being done in the CREATAE Lab centers around an interesting approach to cognitive neuroscience known as embodied cognition. This viewpoint states that cognitive processes do not occur just within the brain, but instead come from the many complex interactions between the brain, body, and its environment. Research in the CREATE Lab explores how these deeply connected systems support human thought, behaviour, and action.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with a graduate student named Emma in the CREATE Lab. Emma has been an incredible mentor, giving her time to help me build an understanding of concepts such as neural anatomy and embodied cognition, particularly in relation to trauma. We have discussed how the brain, body, and environment interact to shape our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. One key term I’ve come to understand is interoception. Often referred to as the “sixth sense,” interoception is our brain’s ability to perceive internal bodily signals. For example, the sensation of your stomach grumbling when you’re hungry, or the tightness in your chest when you feel anxious, are both forms of interoception. What I found interesting is how interoception not only helps regulate physiological processes but also plays a very important role in how we experience and process our emotions as our own.
Not only have I been learning a lot, but I’ve also had the opportunity to assist Emma with her research project. Her project focuses on exploring the connection between interoception and trauma. To support her research, I was able to read and provide feedback on a literature review she wrote, offering suggestions from an outside perspective. This week, Dr. Matheson, Emma, other lab members, and I spent an afternoon in the EEG lab. EEG stands for electroencephalogram, which is a method used to record brain activity. This was a great experience as I got to help set up an EEG, and observe how it works to communicate the participants brain waves through electrodes placed on their head. I have also been researching academic papers, and assisting with various daily tasks. Along the way, I’ve had the chance to meet other graduate students in the lab and learn about their projects, which has exposed me to a wide range of topics within psychology.
Outside of working in the psychology department, I’ve had the chance to go on several daytime tours with the other WISE girls. So far, we have visited the NRC, the engineering building, the MUN School of Medicine, and many science departments. These tours have been a great way to explore the wide variety of opportunities available within STEM at Memorial University. In addition, every Thursday night I’ve attended social events organized by the program, which have been a super fun way to connect with the other girls. While I truly love my day-to-day work, I can honestly say that these nights have been my favorite part of the program so far. We have done activities like trivia and painting, which have been a great way to make friendships and have fun with girls who also have an interest in STEM.
In the coming weeks, I’m looking forward to taking on several exciting projects. I plan to help revamp the psychology department’s website to make it more accessible and up to date. I’ll also be working on creating a detailed lab booklet to help students become familiar with the rules of the lab. I will continue assisting Emma with her research on interoception and trauma, which has quickly become an area of interest for me. Most importantly, I’m excited to keep expanding my knowledge of psychology, specifically in the area of cognitive neuroscience. I’m only halfway through the program, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Mya S., Research Assistant in the Department of Chemistry
Hi! My name is Mya Spurrell. This summer through the WISE NL Student Summer Employment Program I am working with Dr. Myongin Oh as a Research Assistant in the Department of Chemistry.
The work is very computational and theoretical, my project is on drug design with particular focus on data collection, data preprocessing and machine learning. So, for this project I have to use python to create a small code.
The past few weeks I have been learning about the mechanism HIFP4H also known as PHD2 which is a tiny enzyme inside our cells, and how it is a cellular oxygen sensor. I have also been learning why developing inhibitors for the enzyme is important, and how to code on python.
Outside of my placement I have also been having a good time, I have been enjoying the tours and social events. This week there were two tours MUN Facility of Medicine and MUN Facility of Science, this week’s social event was Paint Night. So far it has been enjoyable, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer will bring!
Bridget B. & Claire E., Medical Outreach and Exploration Assistants with the Faculty of Medicine
Hi! We are Bridget Burke and Claire Edmunds and this summer we have the honour of participating in the WISE Student Summer Employment Program. For our placement we work as Medical Outreach and Exploration Assistants with the Faculty of Medicine in the Office of Professional and Educational Development (OPED). Our job has given us the opportunity to explore many scientific fields and assist in various outreach activities.
Our main job is working with MedQuest, which is a three day program designed for high school students who are interested in pursuing medicine. We have been involved in the organization and execution of Medquest, performing tasks such as designing posters, creating activity sheets and facilitating medicine based activities. This week was the second and final week of the program, and we had the opportunity to test our practical medical skills and participate in some of the hands-on sessions offered by local physicians! Some of the activities included suturing, phlebotomies, ultrasounding, and a family medicine simulation. Now that MedQuest is over, we will be working on a Peer Evaluation Project, in which we use participant and staff feedback to suggest improvements for future programs.
We also get to help other people throughout the Faculty of Medicine. We have assisted the Communications Office with organizing Faculty of Medicine merchandise. We also spent a couple days in the multidisciplinary labs. Medicine and Nursing students use this space for various labs that involve many different aspects of healthcare. On our first day there we packed the standardized patient kits, removed sutures from the suture practice pads, and organized the echocardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure simulators. Day two we took on the task of organising 87 “bone bags”. These bags contain plastic skeletons that medical students use for various labs. Our job was to make sure that all bones were returned and that no one held on to a femur or tibia! We also spent a day in the 3D printing lab. We put our computer skills to the test and designed our very own keychains and dinosaur figurines.
Not only do we get to work with the Faculty of medicine but we have also had the opportunity to assist with activities at the Core Sciences Facility. We got to help the Biology department with the visiting summer camp, doing everything from making slime, collecting bugs, potting plants, and observing animal specimens. We also spent a day with Human Biosciences, where we were able to make and test our very own DNA gels! We also did an experiment with chromatography and learned how secondary colors can separate into their primary colors. Later this summer we will go to the Ocean Sciences Centre and explore the exciting field of Marine Biology!
We have had an incredible time so far. Thank you WISE for this opportunity and thank you all for letting us come and visit your respective departments!
Tillie H., Nursery Research Assistant at the Mun Botanical Garden
Hi! My name is Tillie Heald and this Summer I am working at the Mun Botanical Garden. I am working there as a Nursery Research Assistant and it is through the WISE Student Summer Employment Program. I have been loving this placement so far since I can be outside all day in nature and I’m learning so many new things about biology and gardening. My supervisor is Timothy Walsh and I am also working with someone who is doing her masters in plant biology.
During my first week of work we did an exiting project in downtown St. John’s to advertise the garden. We took three bathtubs, filled them with soil, and then planted an assortment of plants. Each bathtub had a sign that said the clever slogan “Come bathe in nature”. Every day so far I have been doing a combination of watering plants, potting plants and weeding. In the nursery, there is a coldhouse, two greenhouses, a barn, a carriage house, and many beds of plants. Every day is very busing looking after all of these plants, I am never bored! One project that the nursery is a part of, along with many other nurseries across Canada is called “The two billion trees project”. The goal for this project is to plant two billion trees in 10 years and it started in 2021.
Another fun aspect of this job, is every Wednesday a large group of volunteers who are all seniors come help out in the nursery. This group is called Friends of Garden and they bring baked goods to share each week. They are very passionate about gardening and they have two plant sales a year. One in the Fall and one in the Spring.
Something I have learnt about plants is how the abiotic factors can affect their physiology in negative ways. Extreme temperatures, soil conditions, wind, too much sun exposure can limit the plant’s ability to grow, reproduce and survive. Water is an important one to look out for when taking care of this many plants. Underwatering them can lead to wilting and reduced photosynthesis. Overwatering, can lead to root rot, nutrient deficiencies, and the roots can suffocate.
I have already learnt so much about plants these past few weeks and I am excited to apply my knowledge outside of the nursery. The WISE program has also provided tours and fun social events outside of the job which has been a great learning experiences well, and an opportunity to meet new people who are interested in science. I am so grateful to be a part of the program and I am excited for the rest of the summer!