Student Name: Katrina Simon
Current Degree/Program: Ph.D./Developmental Psychology
Undergrad University: Cornell University
Hometown: Elmont, New York
What inspired you to pursue a graduate/doctoral degree in your field?
As a teenager, I was a volunteer at my local library, where I became really interested in how children learned how to read and what factors might influence this process. I always loved working with kids and found the way they think about things incredibly interesting. I wasn’t sure exactly what a Ph.D. was when I entered college, but when I described my interests to a friend, they suggested I try joining a research lab and think about a Ph.D. I was hesitant about attending so many more years of school after graduating college, but having a “job” where I get to learn and study about what I love has been such a privilege.
What class did you enjoy most in your program?
I really enjoyed taking Current Issues in Neuroscience. In this course, we got to hear from speakers in different disciplines of neuroscience which I just found to be a great way to learn and engage with researchers. And, the silver lining of remote learning, because the class was fully on zoom, we were lucky enough to hear from researchers from all across the country!
What's the most exciting project you're working on right now?
I am really excited to be working on my dissertation, where I am examining how household noise is associated with language and underlying brain activity in infants and children. Because infants can’t quite yet tell us themselves how their language is developing, taking a look “under the hood” is a very informative way to understand how infants are beginning to learn and understand language.
What advice do you give to other graduate students or potential graduate students?
My advice to others would be to get started on research as soon as possible and to build relationships with both informal and formal mentors. It can be really intimidating to get started on independent research, but volunteering in a research lab, learning about what the research process is like, and then working on a project with an older student or postdoc/professor are great ways to start the process. As for mentorship, seeking people who would be willing to share their time and expertise can be difficult and intimidating, but you need to be your biggest advocate! That being said, doing the work for mentorship is also in your best interest- this often includes googling things yourself or having some ideas before approaching a mentor.