Academic Poster Presentation at Made in Millersville 2024
April 09, 2024 |
| Breaking down my poster on ‘The Impact of Pregnancy Specific Drug Laws on Utilization of Prenatal Care and Access to Treatment by Women with Substance Use Disorder' at Made in Millersville 2024 - Photo Credit Dr. KR |
Good evening beautiful people,
Today will go down in history as the second best day in my academic journey - I did my first academic poster presentation (it would have been the second one...but PASSHE did not happen for me - see updates at the end of this post).
If you are curious, the best day in my academic journey is when I got a full scholarship and admission to the first school I went to before transferring to my current school. And it goes without saying that graduation/getting into the next program will have to compete to for third best day.
Today's post is about celebrating and giving thanks.
I know I have been going on and on about the subject I am focusing on this semester, but please allow me to share it again - I am looking at addiction.
For my poster presentation, which is a segway of sorts from my independent study, I am looking at pregnant women, state laws and the cycle of addiction.
The journey so far has been filled with reading and watching all sorts of material as well as attending a variety of events and conferences. I also spent a couple of weekends in the library trying to narrow all the content I was consuming into a poster that I finally got to share today at the 10th Anniversary of Made in Millersville Conference.
I had a swell time sharing my literature review process and answering questions. And with every conversation, I could not help but think that this is definitely what I would like to spend the next couple of years doing.
Yes, I see myself doing versions of my independent study over and over again.
Yes, I look forward to going down literature review trails, dropping by physical and virtual auditoriums for conferences and documentaries. Then sitting down and pulling it all together, identifying the gaps, designing studies, collecting and analysing data...then sharing my findings through presentations and publications...and then rinsing and repeating. I just need to figure out the income generating angle, because a girl has to eat and go to therapy. Before I get consumed by plans for the future, I would like to continue with today's celebrations by giving a couple of shoutouts.
1. To everyone who reads this blog, and the now archived one, you all, unknowingly introduced me to all this. Because of you, I read stuff, attended sessions, packaged it all for the blog. Then you would pose additional questions that would lead to more digging, networking, and writing. Now I get to do it from an academic point of view...I cannot wait to get good at it and for all these writing to be part of various journals.
2. To my Intro to Neuroscience professor, Dr KB, thank you for making me fall in love with how the brain works...you got me hooked at the pathways subtopic when you did the rat illustration...I am deep diving into the psychology of addiction because of those sessions...ooh and Cajal's drawings (I really need to do a blog post about all the amazing things I learnt in your class)
3. To my experimental design professor, Dr SG, I still remember that day you called me after class and asked if I have ever thought of doing research. This was way before I knew the basics. Your classes have been very instrumental in this poster preparation and presentation process. I know I have been dragging my feet about doing some work with you, but now that I have gotten a feel of things, I think I am ready to go all out - designing a study, getting IRB approval, data collection and analysis, all the nine yards. This might be a stretch but I am thinking Monty Hall, decision making and substance use.
4. To my church for hosting weekly Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and the opportunity that I get to serve those who come for the meetings. Special shout out to all the women who come to meetings every Tuesday and Thursday. Seeing how dedicated you are to your recovery journeys, and at times hearing your stories, was part of the inspiration for my poster. Thank you for sparking my curiosity. It is my prayer that my work in this space will help in the development of interventions that make the recovery journey smoother for you, and those coming behind you.
5. Last but not least, my faculty advisor, Dr KR, who was my resident photographer and hype-person at the poster presentation - Thank you for supporting and guiding my curiosities. I know that this is just the beginning...here's to greater things ahead.
I cannot log off without saying thank you to everyone who stopped by my poster, asked questions, shared the new things they had learnt + made me think of things I had not considered. You made my day...for that I am grateful.
Will definitely share where I go from here as far as this dream of doing this research thing on the regular goes.
Until the next post, I leave you with a song that is currently living rent free in my head.
Sending love and light,
Sitawa
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