The Undergraduate Research Experience: Reflections of the 2024-2025 URCC Peer Research Mentors
Clockwise from upper left: Ava Towle ‘26, Maya Katz ‘25, Annetta Venford ‘25, Danny DeMilia ‘25, Sunan Sun ‘25 (at center)
A Conversation with the URCC Peer Research Mentors
The responses have been edited for clarity and length.
What has your experience as a peer research mentor been like?
Ava: I have really enjoyed being a peer research mentor with the URCC! My favorite part about being a peer mentor is getting to meet and guide other students who are looking to begin research on campus. I think it can be really intimidating when students are first starting research, and there are a lot of misconceptions about the process of getting involved in research, so I have found it really rewarding to be able to share my experiences (both the positive and negative aspects) with others and guide them through the process!
How would you describe your research experience?
Annetta: I’ve had a very varied research experience, which I’ve been very grateful for. I’ve loved being able to work in a variety of labs and begin to better understand the kind of work I am interested in leading in the future. With each experience, I was able to better hone in my specific research interests, and confirm past decisions/interests. The more that I worked in pediatric clinical research, the more I established it was exactly what I wanted to do. You can have a variety of interests: apply to different things, because each will be equally informative, rewarding, and surprising.
Maya: My research experience has been primarily in one lab, but I’ve gotten to work on a few different projects which has been very helpful and a great learning opportunity! Overall I’ve definitely learned that research takes patience, resilience, and a positive attitude, as you can never control your results, but you can control your mindset, which is ultimately more important.
What have you learned from applying to different programs, fellowships, and scholarships?
Annetta: Really dive into the why, and understand that what may seem like a given to you may be different for others–such as your interests, your qualifications, and more. Your interest in [the topic/area] is unique, so believe in it confidently and believe that your true passion for it will come through. Each draft helps elucidate what you want to say, so be sure to challenge what you write and really dive deeper with each draft.
How did you find out about the programs/fellowships/scholarships to which you applied?
Sunan: I usually received emails from the Division of Science and the URCC, and I also received information from department professor.
What do you look for in a mentor?
Danny: For me, the most important piece of fostering a strong mentor-mentee relationship is a balance between independence and collaboration. I personally appreciate mentors who trust me to make decisions when necessary – it makes me feel more involved in the process. That said, a mentor who prioritizes routine meetings with their mentees, both individually and in group settings, is also extremely valuable.
Maya: I think one of the most important things to look for in a mentor is matching communication and organization styles! If you’re someone who works well with planning and lists, having a mentor who tends to be less intense about organization would likely be less effective. Additionally, having clear and direct communication is crucial to an effective partnership and learning, so making sure that you’re on the same page about how to communicate with each other is necessary.
How do you keep in touch with past professors or mentors?
Sunan: Usually send them updates about what you did in the past semester or past year.
Annetta: It’s definitely something I struggle with! I typically reach out mid–way through the new semester to ask how they’re doing and catch up–typically, when I have something from another class or something I’ve read that reminded me of them and/or their class.
Danny: Maintaining contact, whether by email, zoom, or even text is super helpful. While I reach out when something relevant to research happens, such as when I have updates to give on a project or when I am asking for advice, it has also been really valuable to just check in casually. I think it is important to recognize that mentors are regular people too, with lives beyond their research. Chatting about other topics can foster a stronger, more well-rounded relationship.
What tips do you have for presenting research?
Sunan: Determine the type of audience you’ll be addressing. If it’s a general audience, clearly define any specialized terms that might be unfamiliar. Time yourself while rehearsing, and practice multiple times to build confidence in your delivery.
Ava: Try to consolidate your work into an engaging and straightforward story and find a way to convey your take-home message in a simple way, so that it will be easier for your audience to remember your work. Especially if your research involves abstract or highly technical methodologies, using analogies to make it more understandable (depending on your target audience) can also be helpful. (Read more about Ava’s research.)
Maya: Rehearse rehearse rehearse! If you can get to a point where you’ve basically memorized your important points, it’ll be much easier to adapt in the moment if someone interrupts to ask a question, and much easier to tailor your presentation to each new listener, since you’ll be so comfortable with your content.
What has been your favorite, or most impactful, course at Brandeis?
Sunan: I personally like research-related seminars, such as NPSY 182 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: Infancy through Adolescence; and ANTH 111 Aging in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Annetta: I loved BIOL 51a: Introduction to Biostatistics, for how immediately applicable it is. Dr. P is a great lecturer who connects concepts clearly, and makes you really think through the rationale behind each.
Ava: My favorite course at Brandeis has been BIOL 18 (also known as Biolab). I really like how this course simulates what it is like to work in a research environment. In this class, students engage in a semester-long experiment that does not have a set outcome, unlike most laboratory courses which have set experiments that always give the same, expected results each time the experiment is performed. I think this is helpful for students to gain an understanding of what it is like to work in a research setting (and decide if this is something they want to pursue further) while still learning important laboratory techniques and science communication skills that are more widely applicable.
Danny: My favorite class at Brandeis has been ANTH151b - Nature, Culture, Power: Anthropology of the Environment, taught by Professor Richard Schroeder. This course worked to combine my interests in environmental health and human health, as well as how they are impacted by society. Requiring me to see numerous perspectives and recognize critical relationships among the many different concepts, this course advanced how I have approached countless aspects of life.
Maya: My favorite class was NPSY 11b- Intro to Behavioral Neuroscience! It gives you a really good foundation for a wide range of neuroscience topics and gives insight into some interesting animal behaviors. Don Katz is as cool of a professor as you can get, which is always an added bonus.
What has been your favorite research-related memory?
Danny: My favorite research-related memory has been conducting fieldwork during my time spent with NOAA. While not my primary project, I assisted one of the lab’s teams in collecting oyster castles from the nearby beaches for analysis. Spending time in nature while promoting scientific discovery is the best combination!