Kevin Xie: Tailoring research learning experiences in the Hydration, Exercise, and Thermoregulation (HEAT) Lab to Healthcare Career Goals

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In this project, Kevin studied the effects of heat and loaded walking have on fatigue on female members of the military. Here is what Kevin had to say about the experience:

What I Did:

"My project was based on measuring female energy expenditure during marching, to analyze and predict how much energy female warfighters use and when they will become fully exhausted. The reason for this study is that these tests have almost been done exclusively on males, leaving a major gap when it comes to female warfighters. This means that variables like performance capabilities, body composition, metabolism, as well as temperature regulation are not well-known in female warfighters. Being able to navigate the rigor of academic research was an accomplishment I was proud of, as it was quite a challenging journey, but I made the most of it by giving it my best efforts."

What I Learned:

"Developing teamwork and collaboration skills are critical, as they allowed the team to get through all the various obstacles of the project while being on the same page.  Such competence was not an easy one to achieve as I struggled a bit in the beginning, but it eventually became my strength as I was able to collaborate and brainstorm all my ideas with the team to examine which best fit the layout and objective of the project. As a team, we were able to make the proper adjustments and work in tandem ultimately allowing all our unique individual skills to shine when it came to collecting, analyzing, and assembling to present a conclusion. When it comes to the future, I hope to apply such a skill to networking, as well as ensure cooperation and efficiency when it comes to future group work. Additionally, this project has allowed me to gain significant insights into how the human body functions under extreme conditions, particularly in females, which is revealed through all the data analytics. Gaining such an experience was valuable, as I have a goal to work in healthcare one day, and understanding how the human body functions as well as the amount of tolerance the human body can sustain is one of the most incredible insights one can gain."