CIRP REU Training Testimonial - Maya Thirkill
CHOP Mentor(s):
Thomas Seacrist, MBE
The interdisciplinary nature of CIRP exposed me to the variety of ways that epidemiology could be used in each field, which has led to a deeper interest in injury science. I highly recommend this program.
Share  

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Student (Summer 2019)

"During the summer of 2019, I had the privilege of participating in the Center for Injury Research and Prevention’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Under the mentorship of Thomas Seacrist, I assisted on multiple projects, including the SHRP2 In-Depth Analysis of Crash Causation Factors project. This project required that I classify causation factors of crashes through video analysis and narratives provided by the SHRP2 database. After the crashes were individually inspected, my team and I discussed and resolved any discrepancies to increase the validity of our studies. We also made recommendations to our expert mentors as part of a study analyzing rear-end crashes that was funded by the Center for Child Injury Prevention Studies (CChIPS).

Another project I worked on involved analyzing the Active Safety Technology (AST) National Survey to determine how sociodemographic factors impact drivers’ perception of AST. I used MATLAB and SPSS to clean and process this data. Although each of the projects I worked on were different in terms of methodology, they all contributed to promoting safer technology to prevent automotive-related injury and death. 

The interdisciplinary nature of CIRP exposed me to the variety of ways that epidemiology could be used in each field, which has led to a deeper interest in injury science. Working in the biomedical engineering core with a behavioral science background promoted flexible thinking skills that will serve me well in future collaborations.

I am a rising senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Health at Spelman College. After graduating, I plan to pursue a Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology. I value the mentorship that I received from the entire CIRP team and the knowledge gained from each one-on-one session provided insight into navigating graduate school, developing marketable skills and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. I highly recommend this program and look forward to continuing to work with CIRP in the future.”