“I am INBRE” Spotlights
Ann Taylor Adams graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Converse College in 2019. Early in her undergraduate career, she conducted research on a range of topics including examining the psychological correlates of Chiari malformation and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, as well as developing a system to analyze written and vocal interview responses to study affectively charged behavior related to schizotypy and social anxiety. She also interned at a local therapist office, and was a volunteer tutor for the Psychology Department. She received the Psychology Department's Outstanding Senior award for her efforts in research and community service.
In Summer and Fall of 2018, Ann Taylor worked with Dr. Christopher Varnon on a project related to developing invertebrate model organisms of alcohol consumption. Her work in developing procedures to study habituation and appetitive conditioning in cockroaches was presented both at the SC INBRE 2018 Science Symposium, as well as the 26th Annual International Conference on Comparative Cognition. Her work with the cockroach model is essential in developing future research and acquiring additional funding.
In the Fall of 2019, Ann Taylor will pursue a Master's degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at the University of South Florida. Due to her excellent research and service at Converse College, she received a Rehabilitation Services Administration scholarship to support her future degree.
“I came to Converse as a non-traditional student after overcoming past medical issues related to Chiari malformation. The support of Converse College and SC INBRE made me feel at home as a non-traditional student, and encouraged me to pursue unique opportunities to develop my education and skills. My research on invertebrate models of alcoholism has been one of the most valuable experiences of my undergraduate career. I initially felt apprehensive due to my lack of first-hand research experience. However, the support of Dr. Varnon, Converse College and SC INBRE allowed me to confidently immerse myself into the experimental process. As a researcher, I was constantly adapting to meet the needs of the species and research topic. This approach has changed my perspective about my future career, and provided me with an excellent foundation for my future graduate program.”
