Undergraduate research assistants Ellie Goen and Savli Patel presented their senior research project proposals at Student Research Week! Student Research Week (SRW) is the largest student-run research symposium in the nation. This four-day competition highlights student research occurring on the Texas A&M campus. Students who participate are provided a venue to present their work through either oral presentations or poster sessions. This event allows students, faculty, and the community to see the depth and breadth of research conducted at Texas A&M.
We asked them a few questions about their research proposals and their impressions of the presentations:
“What were the topics of your research project proposals?”
We aim to investigate whether two lifestyle indicators of circadian misalignment, namely sleep patterns and meal timing, within the first post-menarcheal year, are associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or symptoms of PCOS by two years post-menarche. Additionally, we plan to further evaluate whether changes in glucoregulation or adiposity mediate the relationship between altered sleep patterns, meal timing, and PCOS.
Our hypothesis posits that adolescents who will receive a diagnosis of PCOS at the end of the study period will exhibit lower sleep quality and different meal timing variables compared to participants who are not diagnosed with PCOS or symptoms of PCOS. This research has the potential to provide valuable insights into the relationship between circadian rhythm disruptions and PCOS development in adolescents.
“What were your thoughts on giving a research talk for the first time?”
Savli: Nerve-wracking as it was, presenting our research proposal at Student Research Week provided a fulfilling opportunity to gain research-specific experience while also acquiring valuable presentation skills.
Ellie: Our presentation was a proposal for a research project on how circadian patterns, such as sleep quality and meal timings, affect or are affected by the onset of PCOS. I think both Savli and I were nervous about presenting at Student Research Week, but it was overall an amazing immersive experience in presenting research and such a great opportunity for hearing about other students’ research. We are both so grateful to Dr. Vanden Brink for guiding us through this project and I look forward to the next year of conducting this study with Savli!
Vanden Brink Lab 