Alex Miller Summer Research Assistant Brown Center for Children at Risk

General Goals To immerse self within a diverse health care system To understand more about the research process and research ethics To engage in interpersonal communication with clients and community members To gain a better understanding of health care and research as a whole

Adolescent Development Study Study that has followed preterm infants through adolescence Able to study early adolescent peer interactions between dyads (preterm and friend) Learned how to code behavior of the dyadic interactions

Massage for Methadone Study Study that utilizes infant massage on infants with methadone withdrawal Had opportunity to attend staff meetings Had opportunity to observe symptoms of methadone withdrawal Able to understand and enter data related to the withdrawal assessment scoring of infants

Effects of Open-Bay vs. Single Room NICU on Infant Outcomes at Discharge Gained general knowledge on recruitment, procedures, goals, and outcomes of the study Able to observe atmosphere of an open-bay NICU and to view the plans for the new single- room NICU

NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) Able to observe multiple assessments Gained understanding of purpose and procedure behind exam Learned the meaning of potential risks associated with a poor score on NNNS exam

Overall Accomplishments Able to work within a culturally sensitive, interdisciplinary setting Achieved a better understanding of vulnerable populations Gained new understanding of research ethics and how the research process works Able to participate in the research process by entering data and coding video tapes Gained first-hand experience of how research and culturally sensitive care can help diverse populations within the health-care system and community

Thank you to all who made this project possible!