I am an information science (IS) major, with a concentration in health informatics and I plan to complete the AUD/PHD program if I get accepted after graduation. My major may seem disconnected from my future plans at first glance; however, I believe it will be incredibly beneficial to me, even when compared to the other health degrees. For example,  in IS data analytics, and the conceptualization, organization/management, and synthesis of information are some of the key focuses. Audiology is a complicated field and has many unique variables that must be tracked; with my ability to manage information properly, it will not only help in research but ensure that every unique aspect of a person’s situation gets addressed, leading to higher satisfaction with diagnosis. Furthermore, as I have been involved in auditory neuroscience (ANS) research, I am well versed in the mechanisms and tests conducted and hope to use this knowledge to standardize hearing examinations, ensure proper frequency testing for children, notably that of low frequency hearing loss which is overlooked in comparison to high frequency hearing loss, often as part of age-related hearing loss. On a personal level, this field is very important to me as I personally require hearing aids for low frequency hearing loss, and was misdiagnose until I was 15; I want to be able to give children the benefits I received at a time that would be more beneficial to them, notably before they transition to middle school when class sizes and number of instructors increase, and the benefits of hearing aids become more apparent.

To ensure I was well versed and prepared, I began research in accessibility in high school, however it was primarily focused on oncology; then in university I was part of an ANS lab for two  years, became a research assistant for the Risk to Resilience Trafficking in Persons (TiPs) Lab I am now conducting my own independent research in audiology, and IS. As I would approach the labs and entities I worked for directly, I have not used any career services except for the career fairs; I don’t have internship experience, as I prioritized research and building my skills through active involvement in my field of interest. Through my extensive research experience, and my personal attachment, the field of Audiology became the field that was closest to my heart.

To conclude, I hope to become someone capable of helping people with hearing loss to receive the benefit of hearing aids at a timely manner, to improve standardization of testing methodology to improve diagnoses of patients, and to continue research in multiple disciplines.