Spring 2004
Finding the right fit
Photo by Bridget Brown
For Danielle Cheek, finding the right fit was a challenge.
A transfer student from Boston University, Cheek has majored in engineering, English, and pre-med studies. Nothing was quite right. Now in her senior year, she has finally found her niche: psychology.
"Psychology just seems applicable to real life," she says. "I really love it."
For her senior thesis, Cheek is researching the effects of depression and Ecstasy use as part of an Undergraduate Research Program (URP) project with Professor Monica Luciana. The project focuses on a subject's ability to respond to stimuli.
"Ecstasy use and depression produce similar conditions in the brain," Cheek says. "We created a task to test a subject's impulsivity and inhibition responses. We're trying to find out if Ecstasy users experience the same cognitive deficiencies as people diagnosed with depression."
Cheek first became involved in the project as a participant in the summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program, where Luciana was her adviser.
"Monica has been an incredible mentor for me," Cheek says, adding that after she graduates she hopes to pursue a career in research.
"I never thought I would enjoy research, but this project has shown me how much I love it," she says. "It has helped me better focus my interests. I used to think research was slow moving and not very productive. I see now how many people are involved, each with a piece of the puzzle. You can put them all together and understand what you are looking for."