Recognizing the individuals working behind the scenes for SRNDNA
Ieshia Griffith
Q: How long have you worked with SRNDNA?
A: Since Dr. Seaman’s submission of the R24 grant to NIH in 2021.
Q: What is your role?
A: As the Manager of Research Administration for the Center for Vital Longevity, I provide administrative support for the federal grant awarded from NIA.
Q: What are your tasks?
A: My administrative role is what some call “cradle to grave.” I assisted with the grant application submission to NIH and oversee the financial and reporting requirements throughout the duration of the grant.
Q: What do you appreciate about the Network?
A: I love the networking aspect of the grant. So many scientists are given the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other.
Q: What’s been your biggest takeaway or had the largest impact on you?
A: Although I provide administrative support, I have enjoyed learning about the many different aspects of the Network (workshops, conferences, and awards).
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I’m grateful for the opportunity to assist SRNDNA!
Israel Smitherman
Q: How long have you worked with SRNDNA?
A: I worked with SRNDNA beginning in February 2024 through August 2024 before transitioning to my first year as a PhD student at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Q: What was your role?
A: I worked as a fellow for the network.
Q: What were your tasks?
A: My primary responsibilities were monitoring the organization’s email, updating the website, and assisting organization members, collaborators, and prospective grant recipients. During my time, I also aided in preparations for a science workshop that we hosted at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia last July. This included hotel reservations, communicating with and preparing accommodating travel plans for all attendees, and ensuring everyone had as smooth an experience at the workshop as possible.
Q: What’s your favorite part about SRNDNA?
A: During my short time with the network, I would have to say giving funded, educational opportunities to up-and-coming junior scientists, such as the previously mentioned Computational Modeling Workshop, is my favorite part about SRNDNA. Not many PhD students get the chance to be financially supported to fly across the country to network with and learn from some of the top scientists in the aging and decision neuroscience fields. I was able to meet so many amazing researchers and learn important scientific modeling techniques that I’m currently employing in my research. I couldn’t be more grateful for that experience and it’s great to know that the network will continue to support and uplift young researchers like myself.
Q: What’s been your biggest takeaway or had the largest impact on you?
A: My biggest takeaway from the network is two-fold: (1) there is a large number of incredibly talented scientists representing this network that are committed to expanding our collective knowledge on how to help aging populations regarding their decisions in everyday life, and (2) they are equally committed to building up the next generation of scientists to eventually take their place in continuing to serve senior communities. Due to networks like SRNDNA, the future of decision neuroscience/aging will continue to expand and flourish.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I feel incredibly honored to have been part of the network for the time that I did and would love to promote and take part in any future events that they host. I hope all researchers in the field consider doing the same.
Sera Gonzalez
Q: How long have you worked with SRNDNA?
A: I started in September 2022 and took on a more active role in January 2023.
Q: What is your main role?
A: In February 2024, I was awarded a Diversity Supplement Grant and became a Communications Fellow.
Q: What are your tasks?
A: As a Fellow, I created the quarterly newsletter; this is the 10th issue. I also started keeping up with the website and social media. I oversaw the migration of the website from Squarespace to Word Press. I also arranged travel and hotel accommodations for the 2023 SRNDNA Conference. As a Communications Fellow, I created the SRNDNA monthly podcast while still maintaining the website, newsletter, and socials.
Q: What do you appreciate about the Network?
A: The support it offers to junior researchers. SRNDNA offers award opportunities to early stage researchers to help get their feet off the ground. Coming from industry, it’s refreshing to see a community encourage growth from junior members and create meaningful mentorships.
Q: What’s been your biggest takeaway from the Network?
A: I was unaware of how connected researchers are in a field. I did not expect to ever look at authors on a paper and recognize names, but I can now. One of the most exciting things is recognizing names from an SRNDNA award or grant and seeing what that person has gone on to do. That’s one reason I enjoy doing the “Where Are They Now” features.
Dr. Colleen Frank
Q: How long have you been with SRNDNA?
A: I attended my first SRNDNA event in April 2023. I started working with SRNDNA much more recently in September 2024.
Q: What is your role?
A: I am currently the Associate Director of SRNDNA.
Q: What are your tasks?
A: In this role, I am responsible for some administrative work ( e.g., replying to emails, organizing events/planning travel) and will be coordinating several of the awards within the upcoming year such as the Diversity Summer Research Award for undergraduate scholars.
Q: What is your favorite part about SRNDNA?
A: At most conference I attend, it’s common to have one or maybe two overlapping research interests with fellow attendees. For example, at aging conferences, the attendees tend to all be interested in age-related changes in older adults. However, there are very few people there who are interested in decision making. In contrast, at some of more decision making-focused conferences, there are many people interested in choice behavior but perhaps only a few who are interested in aging and the adult lifespan. And when you add in neuroscience and neuroscientific methods to the mix, finding people who are interested in this niche area becomes even more rare. So my favorite part about SRNDNA is the ability to interact and network with scholars whose research interests perfectly align with mine.
Q: What’s been your biggest takeaway from the Network?
A: The SRNDNA workshops and meetings are highly conducive to networking. I believe a combination of the size of the meetings (relatively small, compared to other conferences) and the attendees makes approaching other scholars easier than at any other meeting I have attended. It is wonderful to be among bright, kind, and personable scholars who have a vested interest in your research and future success. Moreover, the work that is done by the people who attend the network events is extremely relevant and interesting and it’s exciting to get to talk with others who are genuinely interested in this area.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: I feel very fortunate to be a part of the network and am looking forward to the next SRNDNA event.
Also in this issue, announcement of the 2025 Pilot Grant Awardees.
Don’t forget to check out the SRNDNA podcast Decision & Aging Insights.
View the December 2024 newsletter here.
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