As the fall semester draws to a close, most seniors completing BPhil theses are just starting the research portion of their projects. Meanwhile, I just successfully defended my BPhil thesis and I would like to share my reflection on the BPhil process for those who are starting to embark on the later portion of this…
Author: Chelsea Carver
Why I Decided to Pursue a BPhil (and Why You Should Too!)
Before taking on my BPhil project, I conducted research in the Kids’ Thinking (KiT) Lab as part of the Summer 2020 Brackenridge Fellowship and for Directed Research credits. I thought I knew how much work went into conducting a research project following these opportunities, but completing a BPhil is truly a graduate-level undertaking! I completed…
Introducing Me!
Hi everyone! My name is Chelsea Carver and I am a senior at Pitt. I am on track to graduate with a BPhil and Honors in Psychology, as well as a Chemistry Minor and Certificate in Conceptual Foundations of Medicine. Additionally, I am part of the School of Dental Medicine’s Guaranteed Admissions Program and my…
Independence Within a Community: My Brackenridge Fellowship
It is hard to believe that my time as a Brackenridge fellow is drawing to a close. It feels like just yesterday that my graduate student mentor Shirley Duong was teaching me how to navigate the video coding tool Datavyu, which is the program we use to transcribe and code our recordings of home visits….
The Value of Interdisciplinary Research
Before working on the UHC Ideathon proposal for the Brackenridge Fellowship, I had only worked on research proposals with collaborators in the same research lab as me. We all approached the research problem from similar viewpoints due to our shared academic and research background. Thus, when we were discussing the technical aspects of the proposal,…
Networking: The Importance of Shared Interests
When reading through the profiles of the various Brackenridge alumni, Sam Cwalina’s profile piqued my interest. She obtained a psychology degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 and is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Southern California studying anxiety disorders and e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults. Sam’s areas of expertise…
The Importance of Your Audience Comprehending and Resonating with Your Research
As I begin my second month as a Brackenridge Fellow, I am amazed when I think about how much I have learned in such a short time span. Aspects of my research that initially gave me so much trouble are now second nature. I am becoming independent and I am able to make more significant…
Interdisciplinary Mindset
Upon reviewing the introduction blog posts of the other Brackenridge Fellows, I am astounded at the breadth of research topics that are being explored this summer! What strikes me the most is how the other Fellows are incorporating the interdisciplinary mindset of the Brackenridge Fellowship and the Honors College into their research projects. I am…
Examining the Relationship Between Parental Praise and Children’s Academic Outcomes
Hi everyone! My name is Chelsea Carver and I am a rising junior at Pitt. I have always wanted to pursue pediatric medicine, but I am also fascinated by how our minds and environments shape our behavior. Therefore, I am a psychology major, chemistry minor, and School of Dental Medicine GAP student with the ultimate…