Student Perspectives: School of Science & Engineering

Hello future Tulane Class of 2020! My name is Emily Sturtz, and I am a current senior finishing up a double major in Psychology and English. Throughout my four years here, I have had the opportunity to take many classes that are not only interesting, but also inspired me to pursue graduate study in the field of Psychology. When I was an incoming freshman, I was unsure exactly what I wanted to study (a struggle I’m sure many of you are facing right now). After sitting in my “Introduction to Psychology” class first semester, however, I realized that a major in Psychology would be the perfect way for me to study something that I loved while also preparing me for a future career.

After declaring my Psychology major, the classes I have taken have consistently reminded me that I made the right decision. For example, Dr. Patterson’s “Abnormal Psychology” class engaged students beyond the textbook by applying examples from her years in practice, and also encouraged students to link course material to outside sources, such as movies and television shows. This is just one of many examples of the incredible professors I have had not only in the Psychology Department, but also in many of the other classes I have taken in the School of Science and Engineering. During my sophomore year, I had the privilege of taking a Neuroscience class, “Brain and Behavior” with one of Tulane’s most popular professors, Dr. Beth Wee. This class was definitely one of my more challenging classes, and Dr. Wee did absolutely everything she could to make sure I gained as much as I could from the class.  She was always available during office hours for me to ask questions about material and go over tests, and she was so supportive when I was struggling more than usual with a particular concept. My experience with Dr. Wee is not unusual, because I have heard hundreds of iterations of similar stories from my fellow classmates about Dr. Wee’s dedication to her students.

Many students get involved in research on both the Uptown and Downtown campuses as undergraduates.

It is also very common for students for participate in research on campus, even starting as early as their second semester. For the past two years, I have had the opportunity to work as a research assistant in Dr. Laurie O’Brien’s Social Perception Lab, and my experience in the lab has been invaluable for learning skills and practices that I can use here as well as in graduate study. Additionally, many of my fellow research assistants in this lab have presented at conferences about studies that we have worked on. There are many opportunities for research in various disciplines within the School of Science and Engineering, such as Biomedical Engineering, Biology, and Earth and Environmental Sciences, just to name a few.

As I am finishing up my last few months at Tulane, though I am sad to go, I feel incredibly prepared to take the next step toward my future career. Next year, I will begin the long journey to a Ph.D in School Psychology at another university, but I am taking with me all of the knowledge and experience I have gained through my time at Tulane. Through my research experience, dedicated teachers, and courses that are rooted in current topics in the field, Tulane has provided me with multiple opportunities to succeed not only here but in the future as well.



Emily Sturtz is a Senior graduating in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and English.  

Undergraduate Research

Many undergraduate students aspire to conduct research utilizing the resources available from their college institution. This is true many students at Tulane, as many undergraduates expand upon their coursework, relationships with professors, study abroad experiences, and access to labs to conduct research. To begin, there is a database available to all students interested in research pursuits. There are opportunities to find funding, gain research grants, to present at various conferences, and finally to publish your research. You can find more info here. Pasted below are blurbs from various undergrads about their research experiences from Tulane. 

Liberal Arts Research

Presenting my research on "Press
Freedom in Argentina"
in Alabama.

Liberal Arts students have many available opportunities to do research as undergraduates. Many upper-level courses require research projects and other research projects can be counted as academic credit. If students take the initiative, they can meet with their professors to try to publish in an undergraduate journal. For example, in my political science major, I have written three separate research papers of 20 pages or longer, and have had the opportunity to publish these projects with additional research and revisions. Professors are eager to help students pursue the plausibility of getting published. Additionally, there is a new Tulane Undergraduate Research Journal, which seeks research articles from undergraduate students in any major. The forum is specifically targeted for students who have worked with faculty on a research project, like an independent study course or other similar research.

There are also several grant opportunities available for Tulane students to present their research at various conferences. For example, I received a grant from Newcomb College to travel to Birmingham, Alabama to present at the 21st Annual Latin American Symposium at Birmingham-Southern College. About 10 other Tulane students also received these grants, and we were accompanied by a faculty member from the Stone Center for Latin American Studies.

The group after we presented!

Science Research

"My name is Adhira, and I’m currently a freshman here at Tulane. I do research in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology as a Lab Assistant. It’s a work study job, but there are a lot of opportunities available for students who don’t have work study too. I perform behavioral tests on rats and mice in order to check the stress levels in receptors in their brains. These experiments are done for grad students or Dr. Tasker/Dr. Shi for their research. I just perform the behavioral tests and they do the sacrificing of the animals, examining brain slices, etc. This job is useful to me for the experience of working in the lab with animals and will also help me achieve my dream of becoming a doctor. It helped me manage my time as well as learn how to perform these behavioral tests that may be useful to know if Idecide to pursue a career in research."

From the lab.

The Honors Thesis: 

Students in the Honors Program have the option of writing a thesis their senior year. To be eligible to write an honors thesis, a student must have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher, and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in their major. The Honors Program guides students through this process, is available for appointments, and provides additional courses to prepare students to develop their topics. The Honors Program is a great resource for students with a high GPA to pursue quality research as an undergraduate.

Junior Year: Juniors have the option to take a 1-credit “Boot Camp” class (graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory) to prepare them for an honors thesis. The course is designed to lead students through the process of developing research projects and the methodologies they will need to do so. It is designed for students of Social Sciences, Humanities, Public Health, or Business. The Honors Program recommends that students take the Boot Camp course, as there is a big difference in quality between the projects of students who have taken the course and those who have not.

At this time, juniors should also be thinking about potential advisors within their academic major or majors. By the end of the semester, it is important for students to have a good idea of what question their thesis will answer, what the methodology is going to be, and what sources or evidence will be used. It is generally not possible for students to develop a successful thesis in time for the September deadline if they wait until they return to campus for their senior year.

Senior Year: "An honors thesis, although technically a one-year process, really starts at the end of your junior year, when you start identifying a topic that interests you and faculty members that may be able to serve as your readers. The thesis requires a lot of independent work - definitely not a task to be undertaken by procrastinators! In the fall, you submit an overview of your topic and meet with your thesis readers several times to start focusing your research and to create a plan of action. Although the end product seems daunting - mine is 53 pages! - rest assured that there are several checkpoints and your readers are amazing resources to help you if and when you get stuck. By the beginning of the spring semester, you're about halfway through the body of your work, and throughout the rest of the semester, you really drill down on the important aspects of your chosen topic or question. You defend your thesis in front of your readers in April and turn it in right before graduation... And then the celebrations REALLY start!  I've found it to be a great way not only to learn more about a chosen subject, but also to develop research skills, learn time management, and develop a relationship with faculty members. Plus, it's a great tool to have when applying to jobs or graduate schools!" 

- Sophie Cranin, whose thesis is about Girls on the Run and physical activity interventions in New Orleans.

The girls Sophie coaches at Lusher Charter School
in New Orleans.