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Elise Simmons is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience and will graduate from Kent State University in the spring of 2026. Simmons first became involved with undergraduate student research through her search for hands-on experience. When she came across a psychology lab that interested her, Simmons applied and was accepted as an undergraduate student researcher for Dr. Lee Gilman.

Simmons’ research centers around the impacts of dietary salt (NaCl) on learning and memory while in a stressed state. Simmons utilizes an active avoidance behavioral paradigm, which is when a rodent learns to perform a task to avoid a negative stimulus. Studies evaluating salt’s behavioral effects prior to Simmons’ have not used a traditional active avoidance research approach, and she explained that “other food consumption research investigates sugary or fatty diets, and even fewer look into sex-differences, so researching salt while using both sexes is a big highlight” in her research. The goal of Simmons’ research is to better the understanding of how diet impacts our daily lives.

When asked about the most challenging part of her research and research experience, Simmons replied: “Writing. Writing, specifically scientifically, is very new to me. I’m in the process of writing an abstract, an application, and a proposal, and it’s a very different experience. I’ve taken many writing courses, but none of them really prepared me for all this technical language. Who knew there were so many ways to say ‘investigates’?”

Despite the challenges of scientific writing, Simmons truly enjoys research. She explained that the most rewarding part of her research is “feeling like what I’m doing is actually important,” and how grateful she is to have the opportunity to work with a supportive group of mentors and fellow undergraduate student researchers. Simmons also stated that “there are always new things to learn,” and shared how she allows herself to be uncertain or have questions, because “the point of doing [undergraduate research] is because it’s a learning experience. If I know everything already, what’s the point?”

Undergraduate student research has provided Simmons with the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience that she will carry with her into her future career. She will be applying to PhD programs in pharmacology and molecular medicine to continue her education following her graduation from Kent State University. Simmons emphasized the importance of undergraduate research and its impact on her life. She encourages all students to get involved in undergraduate research, stating: “There is something for everyone, not just topic-wise, but also benefits. Whether you want to go into industry work, or go straight to graduate school, there isn’t such a thing as ‘bad’ experience. Any little thing will help immensely in the future.”

Written by Lenore Kohl