week 11

Hello everyone! Welcome back to my blog, and my final blog post!

This week marked the end of my Senior Project journey. After months of researching, writing, meeting with mentors, conducting interviews, and revising my work, I finally completed both my final research paper and presentation. It was exciting to see everything come together after spending so much time exploring the relationship between olfaction, memory, and Alzheimer’s disease.

One of my main focuses this week was finalizing my presentation for the Shape Shifter Lab presentation day. I spent time reviewing my slides, editing content, and making sure that the information from my research paper was translated into a format that would be clear and engaging for an audience. One challenge I encountered was deciding how much information to include. Throughout this project, I had accumulated a large amount of research, but I needed to identify the most important findings and present them in a concise way while still communicating the significance of my work.

Looking back at earlier drafts, I realized how much my project evolved over time. When I first began, I expected to find strong evidence that olfactory cues could improve memory retrieval and cognitive function in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. However, as I reviewed the literature and interviewed experts, I found that the strongest evidence actually supported the use of olfactory stimulation for emotional regulation and improving quality of life. Learning to adjust my focus based on the evidence was one of the most valuable lessons I gained from this experience.

Presenting at Shape Shifter Lab was a rewarding way to conclude the project. It gave me the opportunity to share my findings with others and reflect on everything I had learned throughout the research process. Beyond the scientific content, this project taught me important skills such as time management, academic writing, source evaluation, professional communication, and presenting complex information to an audience. I also gained a greater appreciation for the realities of research, including the importance of remaining open-minded and allowing evidence to guide conclusions.

Overall, this project was an incredibly valuable experience. I am grateful to Dr. Omura, Dr. James, Dr. Hanada, and everyone who supported me throughout the process. Their guidance helped me develop not only a deeper understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and olfaction, but also a greater appreciation for the research process itself. While this project may be ending, I hope the lessons I learned from it will continue to influence my future studies and career in medicine.