Repost from UNCG Now
UNCG junior psychology major Amanda Baeten recently presented her research project, “How Rumination Affects Emotions,” at the 20th annual Posters on the Hill event sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
The event took place April 19-21 in Washington, D.C., and featured 60 undergraduate research projects from across the nation. This year’s event marks the second year in a row in which a UNCG student has been selected for this prestigious showcase.
Baeten’s project, selected from a pool of more than 400 applications, examines the harmful effects of rumination, a negative thinking style that increases risk for depression. Her research demonstrates that individuals suffering from depression can be helped by using healthy distraction techniques instead of ruminating about their problems, particularly when managing feelings of anger.
“It was an extremely competitive conference, so to be selected was a huge honor,” Baeten said. “It was an amazing experience. I really enjoyed presenting my research and talking with other students about their research, and I learned a lot about advocacy and policy.”
Baeten, an honors student, was joined on Capitol Hill by her mentor, Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Blair Wisco, and Dr. Lee Phillips, director of UNCG’s Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Office. The three met with numerous political leaders representing North Carolina – including Rep. Mark Walker and the offices of Sen. Richard Burr and Sen. Thom Tillis – to discuss the project and the importance of undergraduate research. They also met with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
CUR is dedicated to supporting and promoting high-quality, undergraduate, student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. CUR’s Posters on the Hill is a national showcase that emphasizes the impact of undergraduate research experiences for the U.S. Congress.
Story by Alyssa Bedrosian, University Relations
Repost from UNCG Now
