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At �鶹ӰԺ, undergraduate research plays a major role in the academic lives of many students, but the benefits extend far beyond the classroom. As undergraduate researchers, students have the opportunity to build a wide range of skills that prepare them for a fulfilling career in their chosen field.

Many of the skills developed by undergraduate student researchers relate directly to the career competencies that the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) consider to be instrumental in career readiness. Career readiness is a crucial component in securing entrance into the workforce after graduation, and �鶹ӰԺ’s undergraduate student researchers have the skills for success.

NACE lists career and self-development, communication, critical thinking and analyzing, equity and inclusion, technology, teamwork, leadership, and professionalism as the eight key skills most desired by employers—all of which �鶹ӰԺ’s undergraduate student researchers possess.

One of these highly skilled undergraduate student researchers is Anna Anello. Anello is a senior double-majoring in Neuroscience and Computer Science with a minor in Psychology. In her time at �鶹ӰԺ, Anello participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program for SURE 2021, 2022, and 2023, and remained active in research throughout the academic year. Anello’s research focuses on Parkinson’s disease and how environmental, genetic, and geographic factors and risks contribute to predicting Parkinson’s disease. Anello is currently continuing her research at the Cleveland Clinic, where she has been offered full-time employment after graduation.

Anello emphasized that her experiences as an undergraduate student researcher were instrumental in deciding her career path. Right before she was set to graduate, Anello decided to add a Computer Science major because she wanted to be able to utilize technology to solve neurological issues, such as using technology to treat or predict Parkinson’s. Anello’s additional major in Computer Science also taught her how to code, which in turn helped with data analysis in her research.

Anello also experienced a lot of personal growth during her time as an undergraduate student researcher. A major component of Anello’s personal growth was confidence. Prior to her participation in undergraduate research, Anello explained that she “didn’t want to do any type of public speaking,” and that her professional communication skills were limited. As a student researcher, Anello was pushed out of her comfort zone and slowly became more comfortable with public speaking and professional communication. Anello went on to become a keynote speaker for a high school science conference and has three journal publications and one conference paper. Her strong communication skills extend beyond the professional lab environment, and Anello noted that she now finds it “easier to engage in small talk and to engage with other people.”

Another major component of career readiness that Anello has mastered is critical thinking and analysis. In fact, it was her careful reading and analysis of numerous research papers that allowed her to single out a specific receptor that wasn’t being actively researched. From this discovery, Anello and Dr. Richard Piet were able to form an experiment that was later published. Anello’s critical thinking and analyzing skills help her answer questions and solve problems in her research, and they also give her the ability to improve and alter the experiment as needed.

Teamwork was also important in Anello’s time as an undergraduate student researcher. Before becoming a student researcher, Anello didn’t have much experience working with a team, but that quickly changed. When Anello first began researching, she was the first student in the lab, and she was able to watch the lab team grow and develop with each additional member. Every lab that Anello worked in offered a new group of people from a variety of backgrounds, and that diversity allowed the projects to be approached in entirely new ways. Anello explained how fascinating it was to learn from the perspective of others, and that “some people would have different ideas, but the ideas all ended up coming together in a way that benefitted everyone.” Her time as an undergraduate student researcher taught Anello how to work in a diverse team environment.

Adapting to new technology was another major component of Anello’s time as an undergraduate student researcher. Prior to her first research experience, Anello didn’t have any wet lab skills, but during her research she learned various wet lab skills such as mouse handling and brain dissection. One of her most exciting experiences with technology was getting to use a high-powered microscope that she’d “never dream of touching” outside of the lab. Anello’s additional computer science degree also came with “a whole new change in thinking.” Anello quickly adapted to the new perspective on technology and is now able to write her own code, as well as interpret code written by others.

The final takeaway that Anello discussed was professionalism. Anello explained that she’s normally a very laid-back person, so she had to learn to adjust her behavior and mindset in order to be as successful as possible during her undergraduate student research. Anello prides herself on “being able to keep a positive attitude” and “being able to work with pretty much anyone,” no matter the situation.

Anello views her research experience as a series of internships that allowed her to learn about and prepare for a job in her field. When asked if she felt that her time as an undergraduate student researcher prepared her for the job market, Anello answered “absolutely.” According to both NACE’s career competencies and Anello’s own opinion, she’s more than ready for the job market. In fact, Anello’s experience and skill level made her so appealing to employers that she had five offers from different labs within the Cleveland Clinic to choose from. Anello chose to work in a Parkinson’s machine learning lab to examine genetic, environmental, and geographic factors, and how those factors can increase or decrease someone’s risk of getting Parkinson’s.

Undergraduate student research helped Anello solidify her career path, and she encourages all students to get involved in research and to “take every opportunity presented to you.”

Written by Lenore Kohl