Presenting research at conferences and publishing scientific papers can be daunting for any student. Without training, guidance and mentorship, fundamental steps like narrowing down a research topic or proposing a field study can feel overwhelming. Neha Dantuluri, with the mentorship of Judy Genshaft Honors College professor Holly Donahue Singh, expanded her research beyond the classroom. Through Singh’s "Healing and Everyday Crises in South Asia" capstone course, Dantuluri channeled her passion for global health and addressing health disparities in South Asia into a meaningful project that gives back to her hometown community in India.
Dantuluri is a senior majoring in biomedical sciences and information science. She was able to apply her research into a direct service project, educating women in Hyderabad, India when she was only a sophomore through the Genspiration Global Explorers Scholarship.
To receive the award, Dantuluri wrote a detailed proposal that outlined her research narrative, the country she wished to work in, and how she would make a positive impact on the community.
Dantuluri aimed to combine her research interests in health disparities with her personal background and connections to her birthplace in India.
“Something I've been really interested in for a while is violence against women and how that's connected to health issues and health disparities in general,” said Dantuluri.
IN THE FIELD
In order to connect with local community members in Hyderabad, India, Dantuluri sought out nearby partners to collaborate with and conduct outreach initiatives alongside. Working with a local non-profit domestic violence shelter, she conducted menstrual health workshops for women in Telugu, the local language, and translated survivor case reports to English.
“I had never been able to use my Telugu knowledge [in research] yet, so that was a
cool experience,” said Dantuluri.
After conducting her research abroad, Dantuluri was able to transform her project
into a presentation for the ±«Óătv Undergraduate Humanities Conference and the .
“I definitely felt very empowered being at these conferences. I wanted to be able to take my observations and the things that I learned and put them into a tangible product that I could share," said Dantuluri. “It was like a continuum of the project itself, and it worked out so well."
Dantuluri attributed Singh’s mentorship as the guiding force in helping accomplish her project and travel abroad. Singh has conducted many research projects in the South Asian community both with the Honors College and independently, including her recently published book,, that explores topics like reproductive health, popular culture expectations, and transgressing social boundaries.
For Honors students looking to find a mentor of their own, Dantuluri recommends reaching out to professors and being candid with them about their research goals.
“Go out of your comfort zone and bother people through email. If you find a professor whose research interests you, email them and say you are interested in their work,” Dantuluri advises. “I’ve had a 100 percent success rate with Honors college professors because they are also interested in undergraduate mentorship.”
As a student interested in health care, Dantuluri is familiar with the pressure to pursue laboratory research in order to improve her medical school application. Dantuluri defines her research as a cross-over between health and the humanities, which is something she believes sets her apart. She encourages other STEM students to pursue research ideas that go beyond the laboratory.
“Pursue what you're actually interested in, what you're passionate about,” said Dantuluri. “Don't be afraid to ask people, even if it's not an opportunity that currently exists.”