Why Research?

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When I stepped into my first research methods course a little over two years ago, it changed my world. As an academic, I’ve come to realize that many people are confused by a passion for research, but lately, it’s shaping up to be an intense passion. So, what does a beginning researcher glean from conducting empirically based research?

I find that research gives my field purpose. As an undergraduate psychology student, it was hard to imagine myself as anything more than a clinician. After declaring the major, I knew that one either went on to do something completely different in other avenues of education, or you were just that: a psychologist. This course, taught by a young professor who was in his first year of teaching, opened my eyes to the world of empirical research. Throughout the course, we learned everything from the basics of correct source citations and in-text citations to how to propose our own research. The final project entailed our proposing a research project with simulated results. The paper was the most exhilarating one I’d ever written at that time because the work was all my own. The ideas were all my own, and like most of my fellow students, I felt validated and empowered. I finally saw a solid contribution that I could and would make to any field of study. It’s always wise to leave things better than when you found them, and research allows me the opportunity to do exactly that.

Research satiates my hunger to know more. Psychology and related fields are endless contains of knowledge. There isn’t ever  a possibility where someone will know everything there is to know, and that’s almost the most satisfying thing about my hopeful lifetime career in academia. Knowing more also means that the field is able to help people in new, innovative ways that may save a life, a family, hope, joy, love, or any of those things. Because people like myself submit to research journals, we’re contributing to the education of colleagues so that people may enjoy prosperous, productive lives. I always long for that, and research satisfies the longing.

Writing and presentation are two of my favorite academic assignments. Obviously, I’m a blogger, so I enjoy writing, but words are truly beautiful things. I came to appreciate them when I began to read at 4 years of age, and it hasn’t stopped since. Using those words to help advance the field and to help people come to new understandings is simply a joy. In terms of presentation, it thrills me to find ways to interact with others about my research interest, as well as to help them become more educated and involved regarding the topic. During my first conference presentation a little over two years ago, it was most definitely exhilarating. Helping others to find interest by way of my presentation or my writing is thrilling, and by communicating findings, I feel as though I’ve paved the way for additional questions to be formulated.

Many people ask why I am so excited for graduate school, and it’s fairly simple. It’s rooted in research, learning, and teaching.

The Teacher Who (Teaches) Me Everything

It was my freshman year of college, and it’s a pretty safe bet to say that I was excited but scared out of my mind. One of my first friends in college was a couple years older than me, and she was a music therapy major.  On Mondays, she led a music therapy session, and she offered for me to be a student assistant in the session. While I was looking for ways to become involved on campus, I was excited to be involved and serving adults with developmental disabilities in this way.  My friend was and is very gifted in her profession, and she was very well-liked among the faculty of the department. Our session met in a classroom that is used as a meeting space for classes, student groups, and many other endeavors. 

One day, about two months into my freshman year, one of the music therapy professors walked into the room to prepare for a class. My friend made small talk, and eventually came to introduce me to this amazing professor, pictured above at right.

After getting to know Dr. Keith over the next few months, attending a concert he conducted, and understanding that we had more in common than most people, I knew that it would be a friendship and a mentorship that would last forever. It was soon discovered that he had longtime connections with a family member, and I felt more comfortable around him than around most people at that stage in life. 

The first portion of my college experience wasn’t exactly sunshine and roses, and there were many rough patches that are difficult to re-tell, to this day.  One of the three or four things that remained constant, however, was Dr. Keith and his unwavering support. There were times where I would walk into his office, even unsure of what was coming out of my own mouth. Dr. Keith simply listened, and he began to teach me valuable lessons for which I’ll be forever grateful.  There was a time in which i had decided to declare a music therapy major, and after many, many sessions of tears and frustration over guitar playing with Dr. Keith, it was decided, and heartbreaking, that it just wasn’t feasible. 

Later that month, Dr. Keith taught me a skill that I’ve used every single day since: how to advocate and educate in front of a group of people. In one of the courses that he teaches, he explores different categories of impairment and various interventions that may be effective in the music therapy setting. Each year, from 2009-2013, I went and told my story to his students. Dr. Keith, in this small way, allowed me to see that my story was important to him and to others, and he gave me an avenue that was informative but familiar.  For the last several years, if you were a student in Dr. Keith’s Principles with Children course, bringing a clean sock to class wasn’t out of the ordinary. 

After a couple years, it came time for me to be able to take Dr. Keith’s courses as electives.  I was overjoyed to be sitting in one of my favorite courses, Psychology of Music, with the man who’d already taught me more than I can ever quantify. It was special. If I was having a bad day, I didn’t have to say anything  for him to know that something was just “off”. It was more important to me to attend his classes out of respect for his teaching and for his knowledge than I ever may be able to adequately express. We would engage in some of the most intellectually stimulating conversation to which I have ever been exposed, and Dr. Keith and I had a special connection.

I knew several things, from a personal perspective, that connected us both at the heart and at the head. I have, and will never have, a teacher who has taught me just as much a about life outside the classroom as the academic content inside the classroom, as Dr. Keith has.  We have shared many laughs, many tears, and many frustrations, and I will forever be grateful for his willingness and for his mentorship. Everyone should have a Doug Keith in their lives. 

When it came time for me to choose an escort for graduation, it was a no-brainer. Dr. Keith, the professor who has fostered my love for music therapy, my love for research, and my genuine love for people, was the perfect person, without a doubt. I’m so grateful to he and “his” Joe for what they mean to me and all that they’ve done.  The neat thing is that just because I’m moving to Kentucky doesn’t mean we’re not there for each other. That simple fact means more than I could quantify!

Thanks a million, Dr. Keith, and just in case you’re wondering, I ain’t lyin’!

The Art of an Amazing Academic Adviser

Most students see their adviser twice a year: once for a midterm check-in during Fall semester and then to lift an adviser hold to allow registration for Spring semester courses.

When students who declare a psychology major at my institution first enter into the program, they are placed with a "pre" academic adviser who works in the student success center with many students. The criteria for being granted and transferred to a faculty adviser is to earn a "C" or better in the Introductory Research Methods and Behavioral Statistics courses. Usually, students have been reading about where they would like to end up in psychology, so much like picking a thesis adviser in graduate school, they choose an adviser whose research interests most align with their own.

In my case, I had switched majors twice before ultimately deciding to declare psychology as a major. More on that later, though. Because of that, I had to take both the statistics and research courses in the same semester, which was grueling. It was nice because many of the lectures overlapped, and I felt that one course was reinforcement of the other. I did excellent work in the classes because the professors were young, and they were motivated by their work. At the conclusion of those courses, it was time to move into the academic department for an adviser. The computer system automatically put me with a faculty member that I knew, but only through peers. In all honesty, I was more than intimidated by this man. He had gray hair, which meant he'd been working at his craft for awhile, he was a neuroscientist, and he wore bow ties all the time. How was this going to work? He teaches a lower-level neuroscience based course that I decided to take the following semester so that I could fulfill a degree requirement but also so that I could get to know his teaching style and to get to know his personality.

Instantly, the class was one of my favorite classes. It was discussion based, and we read books based on neuroscience topics like Rita Carter's Mapping the Mind for those of you who may be familiar. For each chapter in each of the three books we read, a group of four students would lead discussion and create a podcast with graphics and voiceovers to present to the class.  At the time, the podcasts were tedious because they required the use of GarageBand, which takes some time to master, but now, I am profoundly grateful for the knowledge that I have and the time that I spent with my classmates. I met some of my dearest friends, and my adviser and I instantly made a connection.

After that fall semester, I was to begin my academic credit internship. When I went to "lift" the adviser hold on my student record, Dr. I and I had a nice conversation about career options and what this internship would mean for me in terms of graduate school and a career.  That conversation started it all. I knew that I didn't have anything to worry about in terms of advisement; he was probably the best in the department.

This past fall semester, I was enrolled in his Behavioral Neuroscience course, which is arguably the most challenging required course for psychology majors. For every class, I sat in the right corner of the front row, where any sighs of "You're going too fast!" could be heard without much commotion. We had lots of interesting things that we'd talk about before and after class, and I cherished it. It was one of the first times in my four-and-a-half years that I felt academically validated. I will be forever grateful for it. When there were some extreme difficulties with the course due to impairment related to my physical challenges, we compensated. And we compensated well. I've never seen anyone devote as much time to his work as his students the way Dr. I. does, and trust me, we all benefitted. Now, I'm looking into neuroscience programs and figuring out if my time in his class should be explored further. That, my friends, is the art of an amazing academic adviser.

How Does It Feel?

Probably one of the most common questions anyone who's fresh off of graduation receives is "How does it feel?" While it's an odd question at times, it's mostly a very valid one. So, I decided that maybe my perspective on how it feels might be a worthy one to share.

You see, there are three main factors that influence my answer:

I love school. My parents often joke that I was born a Ph.D. I've always oved the concept of learning, and writing papers and reading. I'm also increasingly grateful for the struggles that I had early into my college career. Though they weren't directly related to academics, my studies took a hard hit for the things that I endured personally. It was an experience that was challenging at the  time, but I look back on it grateful for the character that it built and the lessons that I learned. 

I love the constant interaction. In college, everything you do requires constant interaction. If you need to order textbooks, you must communicate with the bookstore to find out the books that are needed for particular courses. Having difficulty with an assignment nearly always constitutes a visit to a professor's office during office hours, and those communications may turn into amazing relationships and camaraderie when you need it most. More on that later, though. Even with my friends, we text messaged throughout the day to form study groups and to figure out dinner plans for the evening. I'm probably one of the few that enjoys how connected modern technology allows an individual to remain with the surrounding world, and college taught me the principles of constant contact and communication.

I love the freedom. College allowed me to go places and do things that I wouldn't be able to do anywhere else. My college town is very historic, and some of the buildings and structures that are part of our campus are things that people who've shaped our state's history have developed. It is a special place, and I will always be grateful for all that it taught me, good and bad. 

Given these components, my answer is that I'm still numb to the fact that I've graduated. A week ago today, I crossed the stage with an invaluable mentor, and I can't fathom the fact that I'll never go back to that quaint central Georgia town as a student. I'm a nerd, and I love it.