What is your major? What extracurriculars are you involved in?
I’m in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a Minor in Leadership Studies and Certificate in Cognitive Science. I work in the Hearing Research Lab, am a member of the Presidents Leadership Class, and play intramural sports. I also love to rock climb, hike and be outdoors.
What is your honors thesis about?
My thesis is in the SLHS department under Dr. Kathryn Arehart. I’m studying music perception in simulation of cochlear implants.
Where did the inspiration for this topic come from?
We briefly cover cochlear implants in our classes and I was really interested in learning more. My advisor was a PhD advisor for someone who is a research advisor for a cochlear implant company so she helped us come up with a project.
Why did you want to write an honors thesis?
I decided to write a thesis because I am considering pursuing a PhD. This was an easy way to tell how I liked the whole research process before getting into grad school.
What was the research process like?
There’s a lot more to the research process than I originally thought. In my involvement at the Hearing Research Lab, I mostly work with data collection. Through this process I’ve learned about all the background research and data interpretation that takes place on either side of the data collection step. It’s been challenging, but I’ve been learning a lot!
What was the biggest challenge writing an honors thesis?
So far the biggest challenge has been balancing the extra work of the thesis with school, extra curricular activities, and my social life. I’ve been doing my best to keep a healthy balance, but it takes a conscious effort to do so.
What was your experience presenting your thesis?
The actual poster session felt really good. The whole week before I was pretty stressed out trying to figure out how to present the story the data told in such a short presentation. But by the time I actually got to Breckenridge for my poster event, the presentation felt pretty easy because I had prepared well. It felt good to be able to share what I had been working on all year with my friends and family.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students interested in writing an honors thesis?
I would suggest finding an advisor who will support you and you work well with. I was fortunate enough to have been working in Dr. Arehart’s lab for a couple years so we already had a good working relationship and I knew she would push me but have my back throughout the process. Yes, the topic is really important; but, I would say the process is more important than the product. Finding someone you trust to lead you through the process would be the best advice I could give.
Elizabeth is a senior majoring Speech, Language, and Hearing Science, minoring in Leadership Studies, and receiving a certificate in Cognitive Science. She also helps conduct research on hearing perception at the Hearing Research Lab. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys cooking, rock climbing, hiking, back packing, and playing with her dog, Max.
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