Lila Davachi

Developed presentation skills and further knowledge in the fields of psychology and neuroscience as a result of practice thesis presentations and readings/colloquium speakers.

Present research from colloquium speakers throughout the fields of psychology and neuroscience.

Learned how to better understand and communicate science.

I learned a lot more about various fields of psychology I had not touched on before (during colloquiums and reading their papers). I also got some insight into what it means for students to conduct independent research, and what it looks like to give a talk on psychology. I feel like I really stepped out of my comfort zone, having to speak in front of the class, which I know will be helpful next year when I have to present my own work.

I learned how to conduct psychology research, how to write a psychology paper, and how to present my findings to broad audiences.

It's a lot of presentation skills, as well as the underrated skill of engaging with and commenting on other students' presentations. It's a good collaborative environment, and a great way to have fun with research. Professor Davachi is a fantastic mentor (as good as it gets) and is always happy to talk about research and academia.

I would recommend this course to any student who wishes to write a thesis. While that may seem obvious, actually ask yourself if you want to sit down and write a big paper, and present your findings at the end of your senior year. Ask yourself how important it is that you learn how to conduct a psychology or neuroscience experiment, and speak to your lab about how much they are willing to let you take on with this project. Think about your other responsibilities both in and out of the lab, and ask yourself if you have the time to take this on. It's a great opportunity, but please be honest with yourself if it doesn't make sense for you.

STAR is a great program; plus you'll make friends. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2025 Course: PSYCUN3930_002_2025_1-Psychology/NeuroscienceSeniorThesisAd : PSYCUN3930_002_2025_1 - Psychology/Neuroscience Senior Thesis Ad Instructor: Lila Davachi

I think the course is great. I really enjoyed going to colloquiums and being exposed to some of the best researchers in the country. It was always a great experience to go and watch them talk about their research and the state of the field in general. I also think the public speaking exercises were useful, as one of the juniors in the course. I hate public speaking (I'm sure that was clear) but I know it will help me in the future. The only real place I feel like there could be improvement is in the clarity of what we're expected to do individually, with our labs. I know both my mentor and me were a bit confused as to what would count as being independent enough. But overall, I think this is a fairly small point and the class was both enjoyable and informative. 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2024 Course: PSYCUN3930_002_2024_1-Psychology/NeuroscienceSeniorThesisAd : PSYCUN3930_002_2024_1 - Psychology/Neuroscience Senior Thesis Ad Instructor: Lila Davachi