Alli Pearson has been serving as a Research Assistant (RA) for Assistant Professor Marzell Gray this semester. As part of that, she's been able to participate in a few different research projects.
One was on the benefits of studying abroad, tailored specifically to students from Mexico studying abroad in the United States. "This was a really fun topic because I also looked at UMD's study abroad program and the students that are studying abroad here," says Pearson.
Pearson also helped with a project that compared access to substance use treatment in high-income countries and low-income countries, which was submitted to the International Conference on Humanities, Social and Education Sciences.
How did you become interested in research?
I became interested in research in general last semester (fall 2022) when I took a research class. There were a few students that came in and talked to our class about being part of research and that is when I really thought to myself and said, “Hey, I could really do this.”
I then received an email from Dr. Gray about being part of his research and I accepted. One topic in particular that I found interesting was substance use and the differences between access to treatment in high-income and low-income countries. I have been interested in this topic for a long time, I first became interested in high school when a guest speaker came in and shared their experience with drugs and alcohol and their journey to becoming sober. This topic really stuck with me and then my research class last semester really brought both together. I have expanded my love for other topics during my time as an RA, which is really an amazing feeling.
What surprised you about the research process or findings?
What surprised me about the research process is how many doors it opens up. Being a part of a few research projects, I have been given a few opportunities to attend conferences, including one in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Northland Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) where I participated in a showcase on motivational interviewing. I would have never thought that this opportunity would come my way, and research has made these experiences possible.
I have also been surprised at how many topics I have been able to look into as a research assistant. Research does not have to be hours of looking at the same thing, it can be a bunch of different projects like I have been doing, which has been really nice to get a spectrum of what different projects could look like and the end result of them.