Setting the Stage: My Undergraduate Start at MPA

Written by Viviana Cotter

My name is Viviana Cotter. I am a second year Psychology major concentrating in Clinical/Counseling and minoring in Law and Society. Within the Psychology and Human Factors Department, I serve as a Student/Administrative Aide, Teaching Assistant, and Research Assistant. I also serve as the Treasurer for the Association of Psychology Students.

In April, I was given the opportunity to attend the Midwestern Psychological Association conference in Chicago.

Viviana Cotter walking along a river in Chicago at night — Picture of Viviana Cotter walking the Chicago Riverwalk in downtown Chicago, Illinois during the night

During the conference, I attended a variety of poster sessions and paper presentations. There were so many researchers covering topics such as the direct and indirect benefits of animal companionship and the social, epistemic, and existential functions of blame. It was a wonderful experience because not only was I given the opportunity to learn about current research, but I was also able to see how the field of psychology is advancing and evolving.

It was enlightening to talk with fellow undergraduate students – discussing their research, asking questions, and learning about their future plans with their research. Additionally, the space provided me the opportunity to engage with graduate school representatives, where I was able to learn about different graduate programs and the opportunities they provide.

Learning From MTU Graduate Students

I traveled with four MTU graduate researchers: Elijah Nieman, Lauren Sprague, Jen Shaud, and Brandon Woolman. Each presented their research findings during a poster session or paper talk.

Elijah Nieman standing to the side of his research poster "Using Pupillometry to Predict Secondary Chat Task Performance" — Elijah Nieman presented his research on “Using Pupillometry to Predict Secondary Chat Task Performance” during the poster board session.

Lauren Sprague standing next to their research poster “What Makes a Gamer: Exploring Dual-Tasking and Video Game Experience.” — During the same session, Lauren Sprague presented their research on “What Makes a Gamer: Exploring Dual-Tasking and Video Game Experience.

Jen Shaud standing beside her research poster "Perceptions of Accommodations: Faculty and Student Views on Course Integrity, Fairness, Knowledge Demonstration and Credit Equivaliency” — On Saturday, Jen Shaud presented their research on “Perceptions of Accommodations: Faculty and Student Views on Course Integrity, Fairness, Knowledge Demonstration and Credit Equivaliency” during the morning poster session.

Brandon Woolman standing at a podium in front of a crowd presenting his research “Characterizing Age Difference in a Novel Motor Sequence Learning Task.” — Also on Saturday, Brandon Woolman participated in a paper talk, discussing his research on “Characterizing Age Difference in a Novel Motor Sequence Learning Task.”

This opportunity was a significant moment for me as an undergraduate and aspiring researcher. I am walking away from this conference with a much clearer understanding of how it all works, and what I can expect in my own future.

I plan to return next year to present the research that Dr. Destaney Sauls and I are currently working on. Currently, we are deep into research on communal narcissism and working to map its complex traits onto the Trifurcated Model. Stepping back onto that conference floor next year to present our model will feel like a full-circle moment in my development as a researcher and I can’t wait.