Hallo! My name is Caroline Thoman and I'm a pre-med neuroscience student from the United States of America. Currently, I'm going into my senior year of my undergraduate at Indiana University Bloomington. This summer I had the privilege to work alongside my supervisor (Dr. Ekaterina Pronizius) at the University of Vienna's SCAN-Unit. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Dr. Pronizius, her colleagues, and other interns from the University.

While fulfilling my internship, I was able to learn more about Austrian workplace culture and cultivate hands-on skills essential for neuroscience research. My internship tasks allowed me to perform intensive research on interdisciplinary neuroscience topics; not limited to DSM criteria, minorities, asexuality/HSADD, and empathy in borderline personality disorder. The research I accumulated on such topics was integrated into an abnormal psychology lecture at IES Study Abroad Vienna. Other tasks allowed me to provide my knowledge of how American educational institutions teach certain psychological concepts in a classroom setting; my perspective was used to formulate comprehensive lecture plans.

I was able to provide feedback on a student guide created by a fellow intern; the guide taught me how to create code and various research variables for an online experimental questionnaire. Furthermore, I gathered and analyzed sources from IU's online databases to explore potential experimental topics for the SCAN-Unit. Aside from internship tasks, I was able to attend SCAN-Unit meetings and even become a participant in a heat study. Both opportunities gave me a better understanding of trial procedures and how to provide constructive feedback on experimental designs and methodologies.

While completing my degree in undergrad this fall, I do not plan to let my acquired knowledge from these past two months go to waste. My hope is to work in a neuroscience research lab to hone my skills further and prepare for my medical school applications. I'm truly grateful to have had this opportunity, and I can only hope I can return to Vienna for post-grad studies. There are truly no words to describe how much I appreciate the members of the SCAN-Unit. I'm returning home to Indiana University next week; more certain than ever in my pursuit of a career in neuroscience.

I cannot wait to see where this internship experience leads me.