Spring 2013 URSP Participant Patrick Maloney:
I
discovered the OSCAR program through a teacher I had for one of my classes here
at Mason. I did well in her class and she encouraged me to apply for the
program. After looking into the opportunity a little more, I quickly decided to
develop a research plan and apply for the program.
With
a background in environmental science and a concentration in environmental
health, I decided to look into the effects of mercury on childhood leukemia.
Through the classes I have taken at Mason, I have become interested in the
various negative effects of air pollution on the human body and therefore
wanted to get a more in depth understanding of some of the problems. This,
coupled with my grandfather’s passing due to leukemia, gave me a subject area I
am quite passionate about.
In
order to complete my research, I spend about an hour meeting with my mentor
each week. During this time, we develop goals and a strategy to complete those
goals each week. After this meeting, I typically spend time that same day researching
or analyzing data. This week in particular, I discovered that the EPA database
I will be using is extremely vast and incorporates data for many air pollutants
across the entire country for the last 60 years.
After
college, I hope to pursue a career in the field of science and thus, the
research skills I am developing are not only excellent for my future workplace,
but the program itself stands out on a student resume.
