FWS Research Assistant Highlights: Frah Ejaz

The project I am working on estimates obesity in young children later on in their life. How the data will be collected is by conducting focus groups around children aged two through five. The children’s waist size, weight and height are measured and parents are responsible for filling out four packets that contain small surveys and questions about them and their child. These are essential parts of the study that will shape the predictability of obesity. With all the data collected, analysis and recording results is as follows at the end where parents are eventually informed about their child’s results. Whom I work with on this project is the Supervisor of the Nutrition and Food Studies Department Dr. Sina Gallo and a graduate student named Ashley Shaw. I mainly spend most of my time with my co-worker Ashley because this project is for her thesis. What I have to do on a weekly basis depends Ashley because some days have more work than others. Sometimes I am assigned mini projects I have to complete in a certain amount of time while other days inputting paperwork to the computer is needed by using the program Microsoft Excel. One thing I discovered this week is how passionate I am not only about this job but also about this field of work. I am less confused about my major and what to expect for the path I am on. I feel certain that I want to be in medical sciences and will enjoy the process along the way. I see this as relating to my long-term goals in many different ways. First off, it is helpful in understanding and providing examples with details in the field of science because it is a hands-on experience. Also, I have developed useful skills I will need later on to advance in my career such as how to properly conduct research, communication skills and much more. I am still in the process of building and improving more skills as I go along but I feel confident and better prepared with the OSCAR research study experience I have become a part of.