Lindsay Isom, aka me, standing in front of the Wellness Center.

Pamphlet that shows the many programs the Student Wellness Center has to offer.

It was a bit intimidating to visit a non-academic resource. In the past, I mainly relied on my parents and friends for advice on my wellness outside of schoolwork. After checking out the wellness center, I realized it was helpful to have this resource because I no longer have my support system surrounding me at all times. I had heard about the wellness center, but I did not know it included so many programs and services. They range from prevention services and relationship education to wellness and nutrition coaching. There were services that I would not have thought to incorporate, but are very important for a healthier life. It was also important to me that all their information was online, including the hours they are open. They are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, and I just walked in and talked to the person at the front desk. There was no line and many different flyers, cards, and pamphlets on the desk. The people working were very friendly, and it was not as awkward as I had anticipated. I was given the pamphlet shown above and explained all the different programs I could use for support. It was reassuring to know I have a place to go for advice in my daily life. I was also fortunate enough to run into my friend Brian, who works there. He taught me about his job as a financial coach. Generally, he teaches students about financial responsibilities with credit cards and loans. He said he informs students on financial responsibility either by appointment or through presentations. He was actually about to give a presentation after I finished talking to him. It was awesome to see a familiar face at the resource.

Another coincidence occurred outside the RPAC. Two ladies at a booth asked if I like donuts, so of course I said yes. They had me and my friend play pin the STI on the symptoms. They had written descriptions of the symptoms of several common STIs. Our job was to match the correct STI to the symptom. After our task was complete, we received a free pumpkin donut. As we ate our donuts, they recommended to check out the wellness center. This was a cool coincidence considering I had just come from there. I found it rewarding that the wellness center branches outside of the office to bring light to student wellness for many students passing by the booth. Student wellness is an important factor to a student’s success, so I was glad to see so many positive facets of the wellness center. After visiting, I was interested to see how one could schedule and appointment. I researched the student wellness center and was pleasantly surprised. The website was very user friendly and it included videos on what the coaching offered and when it is necessary to get help. This is beneficial for students like me who are unsure when it is time to receive guidance or are intimidated by the thought of getting professional help. The videos allow us to examine the situation in the comfort of our dorm and decide the next steps from there. I do not have any recommendations or additions for the wellness center because I was pleasantly surprised at all the different wellness factors they considered.

Initial slide to begin the presentation by David K. Wehe a professor at the University of Michigan

I attended a seminar titled “Radiation Detection & Measurement: Innovations”, presented by David K. Wehe. The presentation was directed towards graduate students in the field of nuclear science or nuclear engineering. However, I am an undergraduate majoring in chemical engineering. I felt slightly out of place in this environment, especially since I was one of three women in the room. Despite this, I became quite intrigued with the topic. Wehe was an excellent teacher in the fact that I could follow along with the lecture. He started by comparing Ohio State and Michigan (the states), then the schools, then the engineering program, and finally the nuclear engineering program. I obviously understood this beginning portion, so I was easily drawn into the information that followed. As he presented the more difficult information, he included visuals and related subject matter to practical applications. An example of this was the discussion on nuclear research and development in biotechnology. Wehe talked about transmission radiology, digital radiography, and direct converters. He explained the relevance of the tools through giving examples of radiology used in x-rays, MRIs, and Hadron Therapy. I was particularly fascinate in these topics because I have had several x-rays and MRIs. I was able to relate to the content and excited to learn how those tools worked. I found out that x-rays shoot current through the subject and measure the remaining current on the other side. I also learned that MRIs are useful in determining the anatomy of the body, but radiation is important in determining the physiology. Wehe connected each subject to the most exciting current and future advancements. Hadron Therapy was the new advancement in the biotechnology portion. Hadrons deposit their energy at the end of their path, so they can destroy most of the tumor at that location. Whereas, the current method with x-rays deposit their energy along the path, so they essentially “barbecue” the tumor. In fact, Ohio State is getting Hadron Therapy in 2021. It is rewarding to hear Ohio State is investing in education that changes the future of technology. I was delighted that Wehe included this information relevant to Ohio State, despite the fact that he is a professor at University of Michigan.

He also included many more advancements due to radiology and nuclear engineering. He sorted the advancements by the customers of such technologies. The three main customers were biotechnology (as stated above), homeland security, and oil logging. I learned very many interesting facts at this seminar, and I hope I can use some of this background knowledge in my major. Wehe did mention that nuclear engineers worked closely with chemical engineers when designing solar panels. Chemical engineers develop the solar panels that change photons to electrons, and nuclear engineers harness this process for radiation detectors and other technologies. When he mentioned this, I considered changing my particular studies within chemical engineering to solar energies instead of consumer products. This made it beneficial to attend the seminar because it broadened my view in my major. I now consider myself more open-minded to different studies within chemical engineering.