Duru Erkan and her research poster at the 2022 Annual SRNT Conference

Author: Duru Erkan | Majors: Biology and French | Semester: Spring 2022

My name is Duru Erkan, and I am a senior Biology and French major with a minor in Psychology on a pre-med path. Last summer, I interned with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow. Through the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Public Health Department, I was introduced to my mentor, Dr. Scott McIntosh, and under his observation I conducted research on nicotine and tobacco control. The focus of my project was on the association between ADHD and e-cigarette use among youth, and the extent of measures currently available to fight the effects of this relationship.

With the help of the Honors College Conference Grant, I traveled to Baltimore, MD for the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2022 Annual Meeting. There, I presented the research project I worked on with my mentor at URMC. This was my first conference and poster presentation, and it was truly an invaluable experience. I listened to lectures from seasoned scientists who had traveled across the world for this conference and networked with a few of them who I was lucky enough to meet. I loved being immersed in research for a week, and I realized how passionate I am about conducting research throughout my time in Baltimore.

I also had the opportunity to speak about my own project with the other scholars. I did a poster presentation at the SRNT conference, and it was rewarding to talk about a project I had worked on tirelessly for a whole summer. I was told numerous times that being a presenter at a research conference as an undergraduate student is something to be proud of. It was great to be able to speak on my hard work and be acknowledged by others. I am looking forward to elaborating on my time at the SRNT Meeting in my medical school applications.

Many of the scholars that listened to my poster presentation agreed that the topic of my study was relevant and gave me suggestions on what my next steps should be. Some suggested publication manuscripts, and others suggested that I reach out to them for further discussion. Although I am graduating in a couple months, I hope to keep in touch with my mentor at Rochester and contact those I met at the SRNT conference. The increasing prevalence of both ADHD and e-cigarette use among youth make this project significant, and I hope to continue this work with the help of my expanding network.

My poster was highly trafficked during the poster session due to my relations with the University of Rochester Medical Center. Many scholars from the New York area came to speak with me, and I was able to meet lots of scientists from all stages of their careers; masters students, PhD students, professors, retired researchers, physicians, statisticians, and policy makers. I even had the privilege of meeting Dr. Pebbles Fagan, a professor and researcher at UAMS who was recognized with the 2022 SRNT President’s Award! She, as well as many others, gave me their contact information to answer any questions I may have about post-graduate life and public health research.

Although I defended my thesis before attending the SRNT meeting, I think that having conference experience would be a wonderful way to prepare for a defense. Doing a poster presentation, I was speaking nonstop for two hours, and answering all kinds of questions from audience members. I became more confident about public speaking through this experience, and I would highly recommend it. And if there is anyone reading this who is even minutely interested in research; do it. Research has been a large portion of my undergraduate career, and it is a tough but rewarding process that I am incredibly grateful for. Research has prepared me well for the challenges of medical school and has helped me understand the scientific process better.

I am thankful that I was able to travel to Baltimore for the 2022 Annual SRNT Meeting, and I could not have done it without the help of the Honors College and support of my mentor, Dr. McIntosh. I will never forget this experience!