易胜博官网

One 易胜博官网 senior who is part of this year's Undergraduate Research Conference has also taken her research off campus after being selected for the 20th Annual Posters on the Hill event by the in Washington, DC.

鈥淧osters on the Hill helps raise awareness of the high-quality research undergraduate students undertake, the impact of this research on students鈥� professional preparation and the importance of continued investment in and expansion of undergraduate research support,鈥� CUR noted in its announcement of Jennie Marinucci鈥檚 selection for this year鈥檚 event.

Marinucci is one of 60 presenters chosen from about 300 applicants. 听

鈥淲hile presenting at a forum open to members of Congress as well as many government officials, I also had the opportunity to meet with 易胜博官网 Sen. Kelly Ayotte to discuss my research,鈥� 听says the Norwood, Massachusetts native.

At 易胜博官网, Marinucci, who will attend Harvard's School of Dental Medicine in pursuit of a doctorate, researched issues surrounding the delivery of healthcare to the elderly.

鈥淧eople over age 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the population in most developed and developing nations, and their healthcare problems are placing strains on healthcare systems,鈥� she explains, adding that fact is complicated by culturally specific views about the process of aging, 鈥渟o it's hard to standardize care for the elderly globally and also within individual countries.鈥� To address this, she delved into 鈥渄efining 鈥榓ging well鈥� or 鈥榓 good life in old age鈥� in the eyes of the elderly.鈥�

To do this, Marinucci traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, last summer through 易胜博官网鈥檚 International Research Opportunities Program (IROP) to focus on the healthcare system there and how providers accommodate patients鈥� 鈥渧iews, values and motivations,鈥� using anthropological methods to examine 鈥渘ot only what patients鈥� views are but also why they hold these views.鈥�

Her goal, she explains, was to discover how healthcare professionals in any region 鈥渃an work to truly listen, and be sensitive, to patients鈥� individual needs and desires in order to give them the best care possible.鈥�

In Thailand, she explains, 鈥渢he people I met, conversations I had and incredible things I saw were the absolute highlight of my trip.听My research was defined by the amazing people I met along the way and their willingness to help me though my experience, to help me learn and to also ensure I experienced their country to the fullest.鈥�

After she presented her research at the IROP symposium last fall, Marinucci was inspired by the feedback she received.

鈥淧eople not only understood the importance of my research project and its importance to the healthcare field but also its importance to me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wanted to continue this, because my research isn鈥檛 just for anthropologists or healthcare professionals; it鈥檚 for everyone.听We are all patients of healthcare, with our own views and beliefs, and they deserve to be heard.鈥�

Marinucci recently shared her work in detail for

From her summer in Thailand to the IROP symposium to this month鈥檚 presentation on Capitol Hill and the COLSA URC, Marinucci says it is difficult to put the impact of what she has experienced into words. 听

鈥淢y IROP research experience didn鈥檛 just define my college experience but also my future career and, more importantly, my passions. I can honestly say now that I am happy with who I am, where I am going and the person I鈥檝e become, all thanks to my experience in Thailand and the incredible opportunities it has led me to,鈥� she says.

Jennie shared more about her research at the听听on Saturday, April 23.