Good news!!! My IRB was finally approved!  Yesssss!  I have several phone interviews scheduled, which is SO EXCITING.  I really enjoyed my practice interviews and look forward to talking with COASST volunteers.  It feels really good to get my project moving… but I can’t help thinking about all the hard work that’s left to go!

I find it difficult to think of my masters thesis as simply one product that comes out of my graduate education.  Sometimes it seems like a giant solitary mountain, filled with large predatory mammals (sorry Smokey, I hate bears!).  Now that my IRB has finally been approved, it is daunting to think I’m still at the base of this monolithic monster.  On the other hand, I don’t think I could ever get tired of thinking about people’s perceptions of science, and the appropriate role of science in society.  My research questions continue to fascinate me, which is a good sign.

And I have done a lot of work preparing and writing, which I hope will make things go smoothly and quickly.

Check out and test the H1 Zoom digital audio recorder…. check.

Test the backup voice recorder app on my phone…. check.

Review interview questions…. check.

Look over transcripts of practice interviews…. check.

Guess I’m ready!  Wish me luck!

Katie