A doctoral student from a university in Texas recently came to IUPUI to learn about our research and to get trained in the techniques so that he can bring them back to his school and implement them in his research. I got to be a training model for him as he learned how to use our devices, which was really cool! I learned how important it is to understand each step of my research so that I am able to explain it thoroughly to someone who may not know the specifics. This way I can also assist in training new clinicians on the techniques we use and can accurately discuss the purpose of this research. The doctoral student asked me lots of questions about different aspects of what I was working on at my site and though I felt a little overwhelmed at first, once I started talking I realized that I knew a lot more about the work that we do than I thought. I had not really practiced giving my elevator pitch or detailing what my work is about, but just by doing the work each week, I felt confident enough to give an in-depth description to someone new.
The only challenge I have encountered so far is balancing my LHSI work with my schoolwork and other commitments. I have trialed a few different time management and planning styles to see what works best to incorporate into my schedule. Outside of this, I am fitting in well with my research team and am really enjoying all of the work that we have been doing! Everyone on my research team is very welcoming and is very flexible, which I really appreciate during weeks when I have lots of exams or heavier coursework. I also enjoy that this site allows for a lot of remote work, which helps me fit it in more easily during busy weeks when I have more work or outside commitments for organizations I am involved in.