The Legend: Monika Rozynski

Name: Monika Rozynski

 

Grade: Senior 

 

Major: Psychology with a concentration in Neurobiology 

 

Hometown: Wethersfield, CT

 

Q: How did you originally get involved in research? 

 

Spring 2013, I got a grant for research to see if chronic ketamine treatment leads to permanent disruption of theta coherence across the septotemporal axis of the CA1 region of the hippocampus. I got to sit in on rat brain surgeries, learned how to make electrodes that were then implanted into rat hippocampi. I also got to slice stain and mount slides of rat brain, which I then studied under high powered microscopes.”

 

Q: What are you researching now?

 

I’m working with dr chi-ming chen in neuropsych under a grant. We are using jovi (jitter orientation visual integration) task to collect data, which is measured through Electroencephalogram (EEG) in order to translate neurophysiological data to find optimal neural oscillatory patterns for interventions for schizophrenia. I usually set up the EEG and have learned how to administer many clinical psychological tests like the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID). I also get to analyze brain wave data.

 

Q: What else are you involved in?

 

I’m a sister of Pi Beta Phi and have just begun shadowing with my local Police Station. It’s been a great experience thus far. 

 

Q: Police work sounds fascinating. How does that work

 

So far, I’ve been along on a police ride along. I spent a whole evening shift with an officer. We reported to accidents and were first to arrive at the scene. I also got to use the police laser to measure speeding (which is oddly a binocular type device), and did a routine traffic stop. 

 

Q: Do you have any stories to share? 

 

We went to the home of a victim that had reported domestic violence earlier that morning. I sat in on the interview with the victim as well as the victim’s friends and witnessed the state trooper take the witness statement. We spent 2-3 hours with the domestic violence call. 

 

I also saw vehicles that were under investigation due to fatal casualty accidents. One vehicle had two indents on the front hood of the car because both passengers were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident and the car went into a ditch and hit a tree. The car was mangled but I saw the toddler seat that was in the back seat, and fortunately the toddler was not in the car at the time of the accident, but their belongings, stuffed animals, and finger painted artwork was everywhere inside the car with bloodstains on them. It was life changing to see something like this and though I have never driven without my seatbelt on, I will never let anyone I see drive without one on following that ride along. During the shift we also patrolled the streets, did a few house calls related to public disturbances, and before I knew it the shift was over.