Our Superstars!

Did you know that Bryce Robinson participated in the McNair Summer Research Institute? Or that Ayla Gelsinger got accepted into Columbia University’s Master of Social Work program? Or that Filip Bjelica, Jelsy Cadenas-Santos, Monica Cordova-Medina, Jerlyn Malasig, and John D. Watt are graduating this spring? Each semester, our lab members are one step closer to achieving their goals. Join us in congratulating them on their accomplishments!

Too Many Garbage Bins
by Aika Deitz and Kimberly A. Barchard

People who travel learn about other cultures and gain new perspectives on their own culture. When Aika traveled to Japan, she was inspired by their systematic recycling. Did you know there are right and wrong ways to recycle? Aika shares her personal stories and offers tips on how to avoid the most common causes of recycling contamination.

Expanding Research Opportunities
by Kimberly A. Barchard, John D. Watt, and Fitsum A. Ayele

The Interactive Measurement Group expanded opportunities to help undergraduates get research experience during the pandemic. Over the course of a few semesters, the lab tripled in size. However, expanding an undergraduate research lab is a complicated process. In this article, Kim, J.D., and Fits describe how we expanded the lab to support large numbers of new lab members, and how we improved communication to create a sense of community and make online meetings feel like a lab (not a class).

Happiness is all Around Me
by Jerlyn Malasig

What is the source of happiness? Is it money? Fame and fortune? Tal Ben-Shahar argues that true happiness is found internally. Jerlyn shares what she learned from reading Shahar’s book Short Cuts to Happiness, and how it helped her find happiness all around her.

Revolutionizing My Routine with James Clear’s Atomic Habits
by John D. Watt

Have you ever struggled to maintain good habits? Do you wonder what you could do differently to make desirable habits stick? J.D. shares four methods found in James Clear’s Atomic Habits, methods that have helped him implement healthy habits into his daily routine.

Back from the Future
by Cassandra Hoffman

While it is important to think ahead, living in the future may cause us unnecessary stress and make us miss out on life’s precious moments. Thankfully, there are many methods that can help bring us back to the present. Cassandra shares two easy methods she learned from Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now.

Plant Care as Self Care
by Lindsay Denecker

There are many ways to practice self-care. Have you ever considered owning plants as one of these methods? Lindsay shares how caring for her plants turned out to be a great way to practice self-care.