ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv to Hold 20th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference April 21

April 12, 2022

 On Thursday April 21, 2022, ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv will hold the 20th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) to recognize students for their hard work and dedication in producing outstanding academic projects. This all-day event will feature a student poster session, individual presentations, and group work that encompasses the time and dedication ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv’s students have put into their academic endeavors in the past academic year. 
 
The undergraduate research experience at ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv encompasses a wide range of activities, from formal clinical studies to managing a publication like the ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv Beacon, to artistic works and beyond. During the URC, students will present academic and creative work, and the conference is open to students of all disciplines. The URC is a great way for members of the media to get a sense of the depth and breadth of scholarly work going on at ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv.  
 
To find out more, visit www.mcla.edu/urc

During the URC luncheon, ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv alumnae Rose Mastico ’18 will give the keynote lecture. Mastico, who currently works as a User Experience (UX) researcher at Geode Capital Management in Boston, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv (graduating summa cum laude) and went on to complete a Masters in Experimental Psychology in Washington State.  
 
About Rose Mastico

With a heavy focus in neuroscience, she studied the conscious mind and emotions, completing both a senior thesis at ÌìÃÀÂ黨ÐÇ¿Õ¸ßÇåmv and a master’s thesis on the subject. Believing she wanted to fast track into a PhD program, Rose went to a master’s program that set her up for that track. One year into the program, however, she found a craving for a more dynamic approach to psychological research. Through trial and error, she soon found the field of User Experience Research. 
 
Four months out of her master’s program, she landed an independent contractor gig working as a UX Researcher for a small robotics startup company based in Armenia and Los Angeles, California. The startup introduced her to a career in tech, where she worked with consumers to understand their needs in relation to her company’s product. From there, she learned that tech has no boundaries and can be found in a variety of businesses. She moved into her current position in November 2021 after a year working in the startup world. Although her company is a financial asset company, it has a thriving technology team that Rose is a part of. The company is on the forefront of creating cutting edge financial management systems and Rose’s job is to make sure the design of the system is supported by unbiased and intentional research. This year, she is working toward a managerial position where she will lead product development and a future team of UX researchers. 
 
In her free time, Rose enjoys staying close to friends and family in MA and exploring new parts of the city of Boston. She has recently taken on a new role as an aunt and is starting out as enthusiastic mentor to students who are looking to break into new research fields.