Exploring psychology
Ashita Katariya ’20 interns in professor’s Self-Development Lab to learn more about field of interest
Internship: Research assistant to Associate Professor of Psychology Peony Fhagen, Wheaton College
Supported by: Merit Scholarship
Major: Psychology and public health
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Major decision: “By majoring in psychology at Wheaton College, I am provided with an excellent training in analytic thinking and scientific research methods that are applicable to a broad range of careers. Psychology, in my opinion is a very strong subject and has a lot in store for any eager student, and that’s why I want to study it.”
Creating an opportunity: “I really enjoyed Professor Peony Fhagen’s ‘Multicultural Psychology’ class in the fall of 2017 and really wanted to be a part of her Self-Development Lab in the spring. Unfortunately, the lab was working when I had another class. I reached out to Professor Fhagen and asked her if I could work with her during the summer.”
Lab support: “My responsibilities were assisting Prof. Peony Fhagen with a variety of research tasks for ongoing projects in the lab using a variety of software, including coding interview data, conducting literature reviews and managing journal articles electronically.”
Building research skills: “I enjoyed learning about qualitative research methodology and enjoyed applying it to the research. I also enjoyed using the software ‘Dedoose,’ which is a mixed method research software, and I enjoyed talking to Professor Fhagen and learning a lot more about her work.”
Career conversations: “Through the internship, my love for research grew even more. It helped me think about my future goals in psychology and what I really want to do after Wheaton. I learned so many different skills, such as organization, communication, writing and analyzing, which I believe will definitely help me in the future and as a prospective researcher. I also had the opportunity to discuss my future goals with Professor Fhagen, who has really motivated me to continue doing research in the field of multicultural psychology, and I am very grateful to her.”
Ashita Katariya ’20 is a preceptor, resident of Emerson Feminist Perspective House and international ambassador for the Office of Admission. She previously interned with a psychiatrist in Mumbai, India.