Undergraduate Research Spotlight: Gaby Harder

I had always heard about students working on basic science research before college, but it wasn’t until I came to Vanderbilt that I realized that research is conducted in all academic fields. As I met upperclassmen and heard about all the types of labs and research projects they were a part of, it made me want to find something I was equally passionate about. Being an MHS and Political Science major, I found that health policy was a clear intersection between the two subject areas that interested me. I wanted to learn more about it and be immersed in the actual work being done by those in the field, which led me to start looking for research opportunities.

I met with one of my MHS professors in office hours to get their advice on how to go about finding a faculty member to work with. At his suggestion, I cold emailed Dr. Ashley Leech, among others, in the Department of Health Policy in the School of Medicine. It ended up working out that she needed a research assistant for one of her projects and I have been on the team ever since.

I am the only undergraduate working on our project, so I have had an up close view of the inner workings of a research project like this one. Our team is also very small, so I am an active voice in our meetings when discussing our progress and goals. It is a unique and special opportunity to be able to contribute in a meaningful way to a study that will hopefully result in a positive change in the standards of care for pregnant women with substance use disorder. I have found a real passion for maternal and child health as a result of our topic, which has made me interested in pursuing this specific sub-field more in the future.

Being a part of research as an undergraduate has given me an early idea of what a career in academia might look like. I aim to work in the general area of global health/health policy, so it is extremely helpful to be exposed to many different types of work within the field and also to start building a network of connections who can serve as potential mentors or just points of contact. I am also developing many skills, whether it be completing a literature review or interviewing an expert physician, that have already proven to be useful.