Honors & Scholars Enrichment Grant Reflection

The Honors & Scholars program encourages both original inquiry and academic enrichment. Through this experience I was able to undertake an independent research project from its beginning to largely its finish, incorporating both elements in the process. During the summer of 2018, I collected animal behavioral and histological data on the effects of enriched housing on recovery to TBI. Enriched housing is characterized by increased access to cognitive tasks, social stimulation, and voluntary running wheel exercise. This study then prompted the question of the neuroprotective properties forced treadmill exercise could confer to animals after TBI.  After two years studying traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the laboratory of Dr. Zachary Weil, and a research question in mind from the summer, I applied for an Honors & Scholars Enrichment Grant to help investigation into the optimal level of physical activity after TBI for greatest physical and cognitive recovery.

This initial funding enabled me to present preliminary research at OSU’s Fall Undergraduate Research Festival, as well as at the regional mGluRs conference. Interestingly, the present clinical recommendation after traumatic brain injury is complete physical and cognitive rest. Yet my findings demonstrated that exercise improved learning and memory and reduced measures of anxiety-like behavior following brain injury. Markers of degeneration in the brain were not affected by exercise conditions, which means that a distinct behavioral improvement was occurring for animals without further damaging their brains. These findings indicate a potential need to revise current clinical protocols in response to traumatic brain injury.

My grant enabled me to further explore TBI, a major public health issue that affects approximately two million people in the US each year. The work I did contributed to the body of research trying to understand the long-lasting consequences for behavior, cognition, and brain health TBI has, as well as provided some empirical evidence for neuroprotective strategies to be used in the future.  Beyond this opportunity for original inquiry, the funding behaved as a catalyst for an array for academically enriching experiences. Two presentations have been cited previously, but my continued investigation secured a Undergraduate Research Scholarship in the spring, and culminated in the completion of an Honors Thesis defense on April 10, 2019. Though not directly tied to this grant, I was also able to present final results at the World Congress on Undergraduate Research in Oldenburg, Germany in May 2019. Presenting in Germany enabled me to meet promising young researchers from all over the world and enhanced my global awareness.

Without the Honor & Scholars Enrichment Grant, I’m certain that I would still pursue research, but I would not have had as many opportunities open to me. This initial funding began a research project that was entirely transformative for my undergraduate experience.

 

Sophomore Year in Review

At the end of an Honors student’s second-year, it is asked that they submit a reflection on their time at Ohio State as part of their Honors Contract. I’m hoping to address the Honors G.O.A.L.S. and how I’ve fulfilled these goals and hope to pursue them in the future.

Global Awareness asks for students to cultivate an appreciation for diversity and strive to take part in the world’s global interdependent systems. Furthering cultural understanding has always been an important component in my life, since I’ve grown up in a bilingual household. During my two years I have pursued a Spanish minor (and continue to do so), which examines both grammatical and literary aspects of the Spanish language, but also delves deeply into the nuance of Spanish culture.

Original Inquiry is a particularly important component of my experience for these past two years. During freshman year I began working in the Weil Lab, partaking in undergraduate research. The Weil Lab investigates environmental and behavioral variables that influence neuronal recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI). I’ve taken part in general laboratory tasks, assisting with TBI surgeries and performing histology (tissue slicing, staining and mounting on slides), and microscopy. In the future I’m hoping to explore the patterns of physical activity after brain injury that optimize recovery.

Academic Enrichment seems to tie into everything I do as a student. My time here is planned with the aspiration that my efforts lead to being accepted by an M.D. Ph.D program. I hope to be able to conduct research with translational questions, relevant to the treatment of patients. I chose Neuroscience as my major because it relates greatly to the field of medicine, in addition to being a fascinating field of study. Minoring in Spanish, besides fulfilling my own interest, helps develop a skill that may be crucial in the future for communicating with patients, and helps build bridges with those in the global scientific community. I hope to continue with course selections that both challenge me intellectually, and prepare me for my aspired field.

Leadership development has been apparent in my efforts as I served as the Academic Chair of Nu Rho Psi – the National Neuroscience Honorary. There I helped plan academic events for Neuroscience students. Additionally, I tutored freshman students in group and individual settings for introductory Neuroscience courses. Both these activities helped me learn to interact with all sorts of individuals and how to delegate tasks.

Service Engagement: I volunteer in the NICU and other departments at Grant Medical Center and have just become an alternate handler for service dogs in the school club 4 Paws for Ability. I hope to become a handler soon, and aspire to be and Assistant Coach for Girls on the Run, a volunteer organization present in Columbus.

 

 

Service Engagement

The last letter of the Honors & Scholars acronym G.O.A.L.S., Service Engagement expects Honors & Scholars students to commit to service to the community.  I spend several hours a week volunteering at Grant Medical Center. This involves assisting in the care of newborns placed in the NICU, carrying out “comfort care” services for prospective patients and visitors waiting in the Emergency Department (supplying blankets, hygiene items, beverages, wheelchairs, etc.), and performing clerical and sanitation tasks in the Women and Infants Department. It is my intention to continue this service throughout my four years at Ohio State and to expand my service engagement in further arenas. In the future I hope to eventually participate in a BUCK-I-SERV trip and continue to take part in service opportunities as they are presented around campus.

About Me

Thank you for visiting my EPortfolio! My name is Katarina Schneiderman and I am an Honors fourth-year majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Spanish. I’ve spent most of my life stateside in Mason, OH, but grew up in a bilingual household and have remained close to my Slovak roots. My early exposure to the dichotomy of some cultures has not only spurred my interest in understanding Spanish culture and language, but also gave me a deep appreciation for divining strength from others different than ourselves.

I firmly believe that it is our duty to our fellow humans to extend a helping hand when someone is in need, and that one of the greatest privileges someone can have is to be granted a quality education. My aim throughout my college career is to capitalize on the opportunities offered to me, particularly through challenging myself intellectually.

After suffering a head injury and the frustrations associated with a long recovery, I began to have an interest in the brain and its functions and thus elected to major in Neuroscience. Through my future study, I want to contribute in some way to the capacity we might have to treat patients…the more we understand about a phenomenon, the more we can do.