Reflection on the G.O.A.L.S.

1. Global Awareness:  In order to foster my understanding of the different people and cultures of the world, I plan to participate in a study abroad program during the summer of 2018.  I will travel to Indonesia on a faculty-led trip, and learn about how tourism affects the culture of local communities.  In this program I will learn to connect to those that are different from me by finding the characteristics that we share and celebrating our differences.  Through this experience, I will become a more well-rounded individual and better prepared to engage with the diverse students and faculty at Ohio State.
2. Original Inquiry:  I am interested in continuing to graduate school to perform neuroscience research.  Since my first-year at Ohio State, I have been involved at the Vision and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab under Dr. Julie Golomb.  I have learned much about the research process through projects exploring memory, attention, and perception.  Moving into my third-year at Ohio State, I am becoming more involved in the development of research projects.  And ultimately, I plan to carry out a project of my own for my honors thesis.
3. Academic Enrichment:  I plan to continue to graduate school for neuroscience.  I am particularly interested in neuroprosthetics and brain-machine interfaces.  In order to better understand these topics, I plan to take on a minor in computer science in addition to my major.  Further, as reflected in my honors contract, the General Education courses I have selected reflect my desire to better understand the people I may work with on future research, as well as understand the implications of research in a potentially controversial field.  As I move forward with my education, I hope to be well informed of its applications, and any possible setbacks.
4. Leadership Development:  I am involved in the Journal of Undergraduate Research at Ohio State (JUROS).  Through this student organization, I edit manuscripts of undergraduate work for publication, and help prepare university-wide events aiming to foster the research and creative inquiry community.  As part of the Events Committee, I have learned about networking, requesting sponsorships, and other skills involved in planning events.  These skills will be essential as I move forward in my career – in connecting with leaders in the field of neuroscience, gaining exposure to research writing, and understanding how to request research funding.
5. Service Engagement:  Through my involvement in JUROS, I aim to create more opportunities to connect the research community at Ohio State.  We are a nonprofit organization, so all efforts are to provide opportunities to undergraduate students.  Further, I have taken in part in various service events in the post two years, including Community Commitment in the fall.  In the following two years, I plan to continue to do the same and give back to the Columbus community.