Mark Nzasi

I would like to thank those who made it possible for me to receive the Professional Development Grant for the Spring semester of 2024. Utilizing this resource, I was able to travel to the Eastern Psychology Association and present my research for the first time at a national conference! This was an incredible experience, and I had the opportunity to present my Behavioral Neuroscience research on the effects of maternal separation on the odor and social capabilities of adolescent CD-1 Mice. Beyond presenting, I was also able to network with countless other undergraduates and professors from other institutions. I am very grateful for the funding that made this possible.

I wasn’t aware of the range of psychology research that I would encounter at the EPA conference. Going into the conference I expected the typical topics that one would usually think of like social relations, anxiety, behavior, etc. However, when I was listening to the undergraduates from other institutions share their research I was shocked at how diverse the topics were, from the psychology of joke telling to the psychology of underground fight club wrestlers. This is also why I love research and psychology- there is no limit or standard approach!

I am looking forward to publishing the research that I have been working on since Summer 2023. I also look forward to attending more conferences in the Fall and Spring semester, and to fully take advantage of the opportunities that research provides for undergraduate students. I love that there are no bounds to being a research student, the sky is the limit truly! I am a student who never thought I would partake in these activities and am blessed to have had the chance to do so.