"During my REU internship this summer at CIRP, I had the opportunity to work with James Wilkes, PhD, MEd, ATC, and Melissa Godfrey, MPH, on the Minds Matter Concussion team. My main project examined whether artificial light at night and noise exposure—two environmental factors known to interfere with sleep—also contribute to prolonged recovery from concussions. Through literature reviews, I learned about the relationship between sleep, concussions, and environmental factors that can disrupt recovery. I selected my own variables, designed the analysis, and applied geospatial methods to visualize where our cohort reported sleep disturbances after concussion. I also identified statistically significant patterns of disparities across Pennsylvania. This process strengthened my ability to select appropriate research methods and advanced my quantitative skills in R programming, spatial statistics, data management, and analysis.

I also gained collaborative experience by interacting with teams across departments and engaging in conversations that expanded my perspective on research and how to communicate findings to the public. Outside of my primary project, I conducted patient chart reviews to identify patterns of concussion tool misuse in high-risk patients not referred to specialty care. I shadowed a concussion clinic to learn about study recruitment and observed how assessment tools are used to evaluate symptoms and guide patient care. I also joined meetings on ongoing projects and protocol development, which deepened my understanding of how multidisciplinary research comes together in a clinical setting.

Through informational interviews with professionals at different stages of their careers, I gained insight into the variety of paths within research. The CIRP REU gave me the unique opportunity to apply my passion for geospatial analytics in a hospital environment to address health disparities—aligning with my long-term goal of combining data-driven methods with public health to create equitable healthcare solutions. This summer was an incredible experience not only because of the project I worked on, but also because of the supportive community at CHOP and the meaningful connections I made. I am deeply grateful to everyone on my team for their guidance, encouragement, and support."

Research Experiences for Undergraduates Student (Summer 2025)