Psychological Science Research: Solving the Human Puzzle
Meeting Time: Mondays and Thursdays, 6:00PM CST to 8:00PM CST
Instructors: Zach Stuckelman, PhD

Would you say yes if someone asked you to work on the world’s greatest, most perplexing puzzle for a living? Psychological science researchers have asked this question! What is this puzzle? Humans! Psychological researchers study how humans think, learn, feel, and why they act in a certain way. If the human puzzle intrigues you, you may be interested in studying psychology and becoming a psychological science researcher. This mini mentorship experience will allow you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of researching within psychological science so that you have the knowledge to develop a research proposal that interests YOU the most (cognitive, social, or developmental) while receiving a personalized mentorship to make your introduction to psychological research successful and impactful. The final project will be your own research proposal that reflects what psychological researchers are asked to do at the career level. Together, we will learn how to view, interpret, and critique others’ research by studying existing scientific literature and studies. We will then use our budding understanding of psychological research to write research questions, form hypotheses, and design a novel study!

Medicine and Society: The Intersection of Health and Influence
Meeting Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:00 to 7:00PM CST
Instructors: Christopher Hansen-Randall | View Instructor Bio

In this mini mentorship, you will delve into the dynamic and complex relationship between medical advancements and the societies in which they occur. From examining landmark events like the eradication of smallpox to analyzing what went wrong during the Thalidomide scandal, this mentorship emphasizes critical thinking about the ethical, social, and political dimensions of health care. Using historical case studies and current events, you will examine how groundbreaking discoveries and medical disasters alike have been shaped by ethical decisions, public opinion, religious beliefs, and economic factors and ask important questions, such as “Why have some groups been treated unfairly in healthcare? How do public opinion and government decisions influence medical practice? At the end of the mentorship, you will create a project where you design a plan to respond to a public health emergency or solve an ethical issue in medicine, using what you have learned. If you’ve ever wondered how doctors, scientists, and leaders make tough decisions—or how we can learn from the past to improve health for everyone—this mini mentorship is for you!

The Hidden Chemistry of Sea Turtles: Protecting the Ocean’s Gentle Giants 
Meeting Day/Time: Monday and Thursdays, 5:00PM CST to 7:00PM CST
Instructor: Hannah Richards, Ph.D.  

Have you ever wondered how scientists keep track of an animal that spends nearly its entire life hidden beneath the ocean’s surface? Or how chemistry can help veterinarians save endangered sea turtles? In this Mini Mentor Immersion, you’ll dive into the fascinating world of sea turtles to discover how chemists, marine biologists, veterinarians, and conservation scientists work together to protect one of the ocean’s most extraordinary animals. Guided by a medicinal chemist and insights from leading sea turtle veterinarians, you’ll uncover the hidden chemistry that influences marine animal health, from blood chemistry and nutrition to pollution, disease, and environmental change. Throughout this mentorship, you will investigate the biology of sea turtles while learning how scientists ask research questions, analyze evidence, and solve conservation challenges. Using authentic case studies, veterinary records, scientific literature, and research data, you’ll examine why sea turtles become sick, how veterinarians diagnose and treat injured animals, and what chemistry reveals about their health. Together, we’ll explore marine pollutants, plastics and chemical contaminants, nutrition, ocean ecosystems, and the effects of temperature on endangered species. Along the way, you’ll practice interpreting scientific data, evaluating conservation strategies, and communicating evidence based solutions to real-world problems. Through collaborative discussions and interactive activities, you’ll discover how chemistry, biology, veterinary medicine, and conservation science work together to protect marine wildlife. You’ll also gain insight into careers in these fields while developing the critical thinking and scientific communication skills used by researchers and conservation professionals every day. By the end of the mentorship, you will complete your own research project, selecting a challenge facing sea turtles and developing an evidence-based solution supported by scientific literature, evidence, and research. With personalized feedback from your mentor, you’ll present your findings in a professional scientific format, gaining experience communicating science just as researchers and conservationists do. If you’ve ever dreamed of protecting endangered wildlife, exploring the chemistry hidden beneath the ocean’s surface, or discovering how science can make a difference for our planet, this mentorship is for you!

Note: Multiple perspectives (both popular and unpopular) will be examined and discussed for the purpose of building critical thinking skills and understanding or critiquing multiple viewpoints and data as well as incorporating and responding to classmates’ views and ideas. The ideas, readings and discussions are not necessarily the expressed views of the instructor, PTY, or VU. While we encourage students to engage in the orderly and civil exchange of diverse ideas and opinions, we expect that they will do so in a respectful way so that all participants feel welcome and safe.