Last week the trainings and discussions we had cut across the disciplines. How does the interdisciplinary nature of this program, the fact that students are focusing on such a diverse range of projects, help you think about your project and/or your academic interests more broadly?

While I was not able to assist in person, talking to Laidlaw scholars researching such varied and interdisciplinary projects has really made me challenge the delineation between fields that we employ in the status quo. This, I think, is something that has been changing gradually, such as in the new field of "computational biology" which combines computer science and biology. As someone very interested in sociology, I've begun thinking a lot about how it can be combined with a lot of other topics to create meaningful projects and realize important research. 

As you begin your individual research projects this week, do you anticipate any challenges in getting started? If so, what are they?

I am very excited to really focus in on my individual research project. However, I do sometimes feel a bit out of my depth. Last semester, I learned some data analysis for a class which has empowered me to begin this project and which I thought would fully prepare me for everything. However, this does seem to be one step beyond that. Specifically, I am worried about how difficult it may be to sort by facility and state IDs.  Nevertheless, I am excited to take on this challenge and am confident in my ability to do it.