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

"This summer I worked with Dr. Valentina Graci as part of CIRP’s biomedical engineering core. My primary project was data processing and analysis for the SLATE study, which allowed me to apply my background in mechanical engineering to human subjects research. My specific task within the SLATE study was to characterize and analyze patterns of overshooting and undershooting in autonomous vehicle takeover scenarios.

In order to do this, I learned to process motion capture data using the software Motive and to run statistics on data sets using the program Statistica. I gained further experience with processing, plotting, and extracting relevant results from large matrices of data in MATLAB. I also wrote modifications to SLATE’s IRB protocol in order to test female subjects in the lab. Through this process I learned about the steps involved in conducting human subjects research, as well as the IRB process.

During my time at CIRP, I also learned about issues of concern to the automotive industry through conference calls with the Center's industry partners and through a literature review I conducted on autonomous vehicle takeover warning systems. I gained professional presentation skills when I led a discussion on preliminary over and undershoot findings to CIRP’s Biomedical Engineering team and to a multidisciplinary audience at CIRP Student Research Day.

I am entering my junior year at Brown University with a Mechanical Engineering concentration. Because of the advice of the engineers I met at CIRP, I plan to pursue a PhD in Engineering Education after I graduate."