Issue link: http://ncumarketing.uberflip.com/i/1453554
As a doctoral student, it is important to me personally to gain research experience outside of my dissertation not only to build my CV and improve future job prospects, but to better prepare me for writing my actual dissertation manuscript. In our community forum, The Commons, I have recently seen posts from students asking how they might get more experience with research and if it is possible to collaborate with faculty on research opportunities. Last fall, I saw a post in the SSBS Psych Community Forum asking for students who would be interested in collaborating on a research project. The project was a virtual health psychology lab, and as such, I have been very fortunate to work with Dr. Maria Antonia Rodriguez and several of my NCU peers for the past few months. Our research is a mixed-methods study looking at women's ability to cope and grow during the COVID-19 pandemic. How does a virtual lab work? We meet via Zoom about every two weeks. Outside of those meetings, we are each responsible for different project sections. We work on things individually and bring them together to discuss as a group. For the quantitative piece of the research, we were each responsible for one construct. For the qualitative portion of the study, we each had the opportunity to conduct at least one interview via Zoom. Working with this research team has been an invaluable experience for me as I approach the dissertation phase of my degree. I have gained firsthand knowledge of the entire research process, from application and IRB approval to recruitment and data analysis. In the coming months, I'll also have the opportunity to travel to a professional conference to help present our research. As we work on formatting our results into an article, I hope to have at least one publication from this research. I'm grateful for the opportunity that I've had to collaborate with Dr. Rodriguez and my NCU peers from different parts of the world. I'd encourage each of you to peruse The Commons regularly for announcements similar to this health psychology lab. Network with your current and former faculty members and ask about any potential collaborations. Don't be afraid to reach out. The next big opportunity might have your name on it! References Northcentral University (2022). Why Northcentral. https://www.ncu.edu/student-experience/our-difference/why-northcentral 4 Northcentral University Psychology Bulletin