Please tell us what position you hold in the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program!
I joined the Prechter team in October 2019 as a Neuropsychology Research Technician Associate. As a neuropsychology tech, I administer mood measures and a battery of tests assessing numerous cognitive domains. We look at things like memory, emotion processing and executive functioning. I am also responsible for scoring and entering the data from these assessments. Overall, our goal within the Longitudinal Study of Bipolar Disorder is to understand the long-term course of neurocognitive functioning in bipolar patients.
Please walk us through a typical day in your position!
When I first come in, I check my calendar to see when I will be conducting a neuropsychology assessment, then take care of any emails I have. I prep the testing materials and a test packet for the research participant. The assessments take between 2 to 4 hours, so the time I spend on them varies quite a bit. Afterwards, I make sure all materials are put away properly before scoring. About once a week, I use a program called E.Prime to score our computerized tests. In any time I have left over, I work on data cleaning, putting together data requests or helping out with literature reviews for the team. Every day is a little different!
What do you like to do outside of work?
When I’m not at work I like to hang out with my friends and my cat. I also love to find a good coffee place, preferably with gluten free baked goods. Recently, my life has been taken over by the video game Animal Crossing. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good way to relax!
What’s the best thing about working at the Prechter Program?
Everyone I work with is extremely knowledgeable about their field and I learn something new every day!
Where do you hope to go next in your education and your career?
In the future, I plan to earn a PhD in clinical psychology. I want to study mood and personality disorders—specifically Borderline Personality Disorder. I am interested in both the etiology, as well as the efficacy of treatment for such disorders. I have always wanted to be a practicing clinical, as well as a researcher, so researching treatment is my ultimate goal.
And finally: what are three things you’d take with you on a deserted island?
My Hydroflask, sunscreen, & Timothée Chalamet