Student Reports and Testimonials

"...the process of learning to think about how to think about the question ...the process of accepting criticism from my professor, the process of feeling confident enough to critique my professor and engage my professor in an argument ... these processes were an enormous learning and growing experience for me." - a senior

"Not only did this project build my self-confidence in my ability to do physics, greatly increase my knowledge and laboratory skills, introduce me to what physicists actually do, but made me feel at home in a building and a department dominated by men. I feel like I BELONG now, not that I am peeking in at the doorstep of a place where I hope that I can gain admittance."- a junior

"Throughout the project, there were many ups and downs.  ... Yet, in a way, it made the project more fun.  A problem would arise and then we would have to use our skills as chemists to find a solution.  I had no idea research coulf be so fun.  I could use the scientific method to my advantage and set a control, etc. to help find the solution to my problems."

"This by far tops any of the summer jobs I have held in the past. I actually felt useful, needed, and most importantly intelligent... The entire summer for me proved to be a mass scale learning experience. I learned how to utilize the Rockefeller library and the interlibrary loan system to acquire needed information... Being part of this research project allowed me to solidly formulate my own perceptions as to the personal, academic, and professional life of a professor. As a result, the idea of becoming a professor now seems a more tangible and attainable objective in the not too far off future." - a junior

"From the research itself, I gained an idea of my strengths and weaknesses and what I like and do not like. Through the course of the summer, I was able to firmly decide on my concentration and broaden my academic goals. The turning point ... was the research presentation. In the time it took for me to prepare and give the presentation, I learned what studying chemistry and doing research are about." - a junior

"Before this summer, I had very little to no interaction with any professors at Brown. It felt like even my advisors barely knew my name. Spending this summer in an intense working environment and being viewed as a peer to graduate students and even professors has been a great experience ... The graduate student I worked with was a superb teacher, mentor, and friend. I learned more working closely with him on this project than I did in any of the theory-based lecture classes that I have taken. I learned that real research has little to do with general theories or midterm exams. It is about good lab technique, about persistence, and about pursuing the unknown. It is at time extremely frustrating, and at times really rewarding." - a senior

"my faculty advisor was a joy to work with. He was always inspirational without being authoritative. He never forced me to do anything; rather he simply gave me ideas and helped me find my own course of action." - a senior

"I had to sharpen my research skills and learn how to read a massive quantity of material with a specific focus in mid. The sheer mass was very daunting to me at first, but after going through the first few volumes and discussing my questions and concerns about my research methods, I felt much more comfortable with my goals. I would identify this feeling as the highlight of my summer research, because it gave me a great feeling of confidence that I was capable of addressing these texts in a critical accurate manner and coming away from them with a set of arguments about what they were producing in their cultural contexts, and reproducing to later scholars." - a junior

"Due to the work I did this summer, I feel confident about my decision to go to grad school and do research.  If this summer is any indication, research is enjoyable and fulfilling." - a rising senior

"My work in developing the curriculum for the class on cross cultural development was very intensive, but at the same time engaging and very interesting. The literature available on cross cultural development is very sparse, because of this I felt even a greater obligation in trying to create a balanced syllabus. I also learned a lot about myself. I gained confidence in my abilities. It was the first time I had ever undertaken such a project. Before I tended to shy away from doing research, thinking I could not do it. It was not because I did not want to do it, but because I did not know how to start. This project helped me get my feet wet, so to speak. It even motivated me to undertake my own independent research project for the school year." - a senior

"The UTRA is definitely one of the most enriching experiences Brown has yet to offer me." - a rising senior

"My summer UTRA project proved not only to be an incredible learning experience, but also a challenge for personal growth never to be forgotten. Unquestionably, the most positive experience I had throughout the summer was at the Brown Research Symposium. I was given the opportunity to make a poster presenting our most recent findings and was encouraged to do so by my faculty mentor. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to the event and I was nervous about doing the job adequately. Perhaps my own doubts are what made the experience so encouraging. I made a poster and put a lot of work into preparing my thoughts. When it came time to answer questions and present my poster, I was shocked by my own ability to articulate our findings. It was great to be on the other side, answering questions and explaining things to other researchers. The presentation of my poster gave me confidence, while preparation for it taught me to report my findings and observations with clarity." - a senior

"Not only was it exciting to be a part of a team doing cutting-edge research, but my involvement in the research process was especially rewarding. ... We met at a frequency which provided me with guidance but gave me enough space to develop confidence doing research independently." - a senior

"My parents were completely astounded at how much I learned this summer. They were overjoyed when I started sending home scientific articles which had interested me, along with questions those articles had inspired. Every time I went home this summer, I would talk my father into a corner with all of my newfound knowledge, and completely blow him over with my excitement. On more than one occasion, my father was even forced to admit that I had stumped him! Such an admission would always quickly be followed with an exasperated sigh of, "It is incredible how much you were able to learn in 10 weeks!" - a senior

"I honestly feel that this research assistantship has been one of the most powerful experiences I have had at Brown. It was wonderful to have an entire summer to research material I was really interested in and to get paid for it was well. I learned a lot - not only about the topics I researched, but also in course development. By being in their shoes, I feel that I understand better what professors expect from students when they plan a class - what they expect you to derive from the goals, the readings, the order of the lectures. I look at my classes very differently now - I just don't blindly accept the syllabus of a professor, its readings, its order, its goals. I now try to figure out the professor's logic in structuring the as class as he/she did, a process I find that has really drastically changed my educational process." - a senior