Laboratory For Rational Decision Making

Janine Marie Stanisz
(Winner of Best Undergraduate Thesis Award)

After graduating from Cornell, it has now been about nine months that I am working as a Corporate Paralegal at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in New York City. The transition from a student to the work force has definitely been an interesting and challenging one at times. However, my experiences at Cornell have prepared me for the rigorous work schedule and corporate style. Conducting literature reviews, dabbling in a variety of projects at once, maintaining organization, enthusiasm and professionalism are all skills that I feel I mastered in the Lab and have utilized in the working world.

Jonathan Gong, 2007

I also wanted go give you an update of my progress here. Since June 2007, I have been working for North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY in the Emergency Department as an Academic Associate. My responsibilities include study development, proposal writing, and literature compilation, as well as data collection, data analysis, and drafting of abstracts and papers. Working with three other recent graduates, I am closely involved in formalizing and operationalizing projects developed by physicians, which attempt to improve the quality of care available to patients in the Emergency Department. As an Academic Associate, I also help manage a group of 49 college-age research interns who participate in providing non-clinical help to the Emergency Department Staff and patient surveying. Although I act as their direct supervisor, I also act as their mentor sharing my experiences and knowledge in medicine. To date, I helped submitted one grant application to the American Heart Association, assessing the kinetics of a pro-inflammatory cytokine during acute coronary syndromes. Over the course of the next year, I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the current medical knowledge through presenting at regional and national emergency medicine conferences in order to improve the health of future patients who are treated within the Emergency Department. As I stated in my previous email, I started off writing a grant application to the American Heart Association. As you know, it is quite a process that you truly must complete to know the complexity. I would also like to let you know that I am working on a number of projects that are extremely interesting. Most surround acute coronary syndromes, sepsis, and ultrasound techniques. It is amazing how much your lab prepared me for this position.

Regina has been awarded an American Pediatrics Society-Society for Pediatric Research summer fellowship. She will be working with Dr. Catherine Gordon, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine and endocrinology at Children's Hospital of Boston.