8 Research Reflection by Jordan Giron

Faculty Mentor: Lauren Barth-Cohen (Educational Psychology, University of Utah)

As someone who has lived in El Paso, Texas my entire life I was immediately struck by the beautiful greenery and cool, comfortable weather that I was greeted with, a far cry from the year-long summer we must endure back home. Granted, everyone assured me that this chill weather was unusual in Utah this time of year, but regardless I wasn’t complaining.

Now, with regards to my research experience I can say it was hands-on from the get-go, as our data-collection period was at the beginning of June during which we were out in the field in Capital Reef National Park. My role during this was to manage the Go Pros we were using to collect audio and video data, so I was always on the lookout for dead cameras wailing out to me so I could replace their batteries. I enjoyed this, as it always kept me on my toes, and the scenery in the park was beautiful as well.

I am a psychology major, however up until this point I was unsure of what research area to pursue besides my interest in cognitive functions, which does not narrow things down really. However, after my research this summer I am quite confident I want to continue research on learning and cognition, as my project was a part of the educational psychology department. In fact, I enjoyed education research and my experience here so much that I am more than willing to return to the University of Utah for graduate school. This was a great experience for me, as not only did I make great connections, but I was also able to narrow down my career path as well.