Dive into the world of research with Abby Hommer, a junior majoring in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As a research intern of the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Team (SMAHRT) for three years, Abby shares her unique insights into the team’s projects, including her roles in TYAH, B3 and the SMAHRT YAB. From overcoming coding challenges to contributing significantly to the development of a B3 codebook, Abby reflects on her personal and professional growth at SMAHRT. Join us in this Q&A session as Abby delves into her research experiences, accomplishments and aspirations.
Q: Can you introduce yourself, including your pronouns, the year you’re in at school, and your major(s)?
A: My name is Abby Hommer, I use she/her pronouns. I’m a junior studying psychology with certificates in education and educational services, and disability rights and services at UW-Madison.
Q: How long have you been a part of SMAHRT, and what motivated you to join the team initially?
A: I have been apart of the SMAHR for 3 years now. I joined my freshman year when I was apart of Undergraduate Research Scholars. Going into college I knew I wanted to be involved in research and I was so excited to join SMAHRT. In the future I plan to work with adolescents, and SMAHRT felt like the perfect place to start.
Q: Could you share some info about the team projects you’re currently involved in or have contributed to at SMAHRT?
A: Currently I am working on TYAH, B3, and I also work on the SMAHRT YAB. TYAH has just finished it’s data collection phase, but for the past two years I worked as coder, looking for social media posts with references to alcohol, SAM, other substances, and mental health among our participants. Since TYAH is done with it’s coding stage, I’ve transitioned to coding on B3. For the SMAHRT YAB I served as a near peer leader, and planned and presented professional development content for our YAB members.
Q: Can you highlight any significant contributions you’ve made to the team projects or any achievements you’re particularly proud of?
A: In the spring I helped with the development of a B3 codebook. I had yet to experience codebook development and that was really interesting and cool for me. I also attended the APA conference this past August and presented a poster on my independent project.
Q: Have you encountered any challenges during your research internship, and how have they contributed to your personal and professional growth?
A: I feel like my biggest challenge was learning how to code social media profiles. When I started on the team I began training for TYAH coding. Content analysis was brand new to me along with coding. It felt overwhelming and took a lot of practice and time for me to feel comfortable with the codebook and confident in my capabilities. Now coding feels like a second nature to me. My new independent project is focusing on mental health posts from our TYAH data. I also feel like I’ll come across posts on my social media, and immediately spot things that would be coded.
Q: What are your plans or aspirations for the future, especially in relation to your experience at SMAHRT?
A: After I graduate I plan to attend grad school and pursue a career in mental health counseling. SMAHRT has given me such great foundations in research and I know the team has prepared me to continue in research while in grad school. I also specifically am interested in working primarily with adolescents. The research I’ve been exposed to while on the team has broadened my perspectives about adolescents.