Alumni

Julianne graduated from Lindenwood with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She is currently the Research Coordinator for the Christine M Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery. Her primary job is to assist research fellows on all aspects of the research process, including but not limited to preparing IRB applications, collecting data, analyzing results and preparing manuscripts for publication.

Where are you from?

I am from Louisville, KY. 

What are you doing now?

I am the Research Coordinator for the Christine M Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery. Every year we have 14-16 fellows from all over the world looking to gain a subspecialty in hand and microsurgery. They complete a 1-year fellowship with us, and during that time they need to complete at least one research project. I assist in all areas of the process (initial lit review, IRB application, data collection, analysis, manuscript writing, journal submission) and am the go-to between the fellow and the IRB.

I am also the resident statistician (I use RStudio) and analyze their data if they need it. Currently, we have 20 projects going on with 15 fellows. We just published a paper in the Journal of Hand Surgery of which I am an co-author. I am also studying to become a certified clinical research coordinator (CCRC).

How did your experience in the psychology department at Lindenwood help you in your postgraduate studies/career path?

Most of the fellows have done research before in their residency but not a lot of them really know a lot about research. The work I did in the basic/advanced research class really helped me break down the process to someone whose primary goal is not research.

When it comes to the IRB, learning to write an application was extremely helpful, as I do that on the regular now! Coming from a psych background also lets me bring in new perspectives to research in the hand/microsurgery field. I love research that explores the relationship between mental and physical health, so this is the perfect situation for me.

What advice do you have for current and prospective students?

Take your time when you’re trying to figure “what you want to be when you grow up”. I’m almost 30 now and just realizing it. Don’t focus so heavily on finding a passion; go with a field that’s interesting and what has a ton of potential/variety, like psychology!

If you would like to contact Julianne, please send your request to Dr. Michiko Nohara-LeClair.

Greg graduated from Lindenwood with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2010. He also minored in Criminal Justice. Greg is currently a Senior Clinical Program Manager for Biomedical Systems (recently acquired by ERT). He travels around the world to train doctors and sites that treat patients with various therapeutic methods.

Where are you from?

I am from St. Louis, MO and I graduated from Parkway North High School.

Can you tell us more information about what you do?

Our company works directly with the pharmaceutical companies to centralize data for clinical research in cardiac, pulmonary and imaging fields. We work with all therapeutic areas. My role is to directly manage one of our top three clients on a program level, set up all clinical studies and databases, as well as serve as a point of escalation.  Through my job, I get to be on the forefront of cutting edge drugs and travel the world!

How did your experience in the psychology department at Lindenwood help you in your postgraduate studies/career path?

I was lucky to stay in the Bachelor of Science program at my time at LU as it kept me on a more research-oriented path. With some push from Dr. Nohara-LeClair, I took as many research classes as I could as well as presenting and placing at the Missouri Undergraduate Psychology Conference 2 years in a row. This is where my love of research really began and I still use this experience every day in my career.

What did you do immediately after graduating from Lindenwood?

During my senior year, I had a daughter who was born. I decided to get in to the work force to provide for my family. It was 2 years after graduating from Lindenwood that I went back to get my Masters of Science in Psychology from Walden University.

What advice do you have for current and prospective students?

The advice I always give is that life can throw you a curveball. Do not get discouraged and continue to push forward to your goals. You may not end up where you planned, but you could still end up somewhere that makes you happier and more fulfilled than you could ever know. I listen to a radio show every morning called Bobby Bones, who has a saying…’Fight, Grind, Repeat’. I live by this motto.

If you would like to get in touch with Greg, please contact Dr. Michiko Nohara-LeClair.