Avery Salerno (she/her) is a research specialist on SMAHRT and the project lead for SMAHRT’s contributions to the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. We asked Avery to share more about her research interests and to shed light on what it’s like to be a researcher on SMAHRT.
What research question or project are you passionate about right now?
I’m really enjoying working on the Brain, Behavior, and WellBeing (B3) study!
When did you know you wanted to do research?
During my junior and senior year as an undergraduate student, I got to work on a few collaborative research projects with faculty and other students. I also got to work on an independent senior research project, which was really challenging and rewarding. I loved the challenging, collaborative, and problem-solving aspects of research. I feel really lucky to get to work on research projects full-time now!
What is the most exciting part of your job?
The most exciting part about my job is getting to work with youth through the SMAHRT Health Behaviors Youth Advisory Board and the Summer Research Scholars program. I also love getting to work collaboratively on a research team.
What is your favorite part about attending academic conferences?
My favorite part about attending academic conferences is walking around the poster sessions and talking to other researchers about their work.