Sofie Eklund Therkelsen

How did you choose your degree program?

I transferred to George Mason from Aarhus University in Demark during my sophomore year. At Aarhus, I studied cognitive science, and it seemed that majoring in psychology at Mason would be most closely related to this program. I chose to study psychology because I have always been very intrigued by the human brain and mind as it is something that relates to all of us in this world.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

My academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences have given me a diverse and strong educational foundation, a professional network, as well as a great appreciation for the research process that has prepared me to continue my educational and professional career.

What accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud of?

Of my accomplishments at Mason, I am most proud of having completed the Honors Program in Psychology. During the Honors Program, I conducted my own research project in collaboration with faculty members using electroencephalography to investigate human-robot interactions. The Honors Program is a rigorous research process, which included writing and defending a research proposal, collecting and analyzing data, as well as writing and orally defending my honors thesis. I won the Outstanding Honors Thesis Award for 2020 for my project, which I am very proud of!

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career? Please give an example of this impact if possible.

Yes, three faculty members in particular have made a tremendous difference for me during my time at Mason. First, Dr. Eva Wiese encouraged me to apply to the Honors Program in Psychology and became my advisor for my research project. Since then, Dr. Wiese has been a great teacher, mentor, and support for me during my time at Mason and she has continually encouraged me to go further with my research and career in academia. Second, Dr. Linda Chrosniak, who is the director of the Honors Program in Psychology, has been a great support and help through the Honors Program by always being incredibly encouraging and knowing exactly how to help her students succeed. Lastly, Dr. Craig McDonald, whom I collaborated with during the Honors Program, has been a great help for me, particularly when it came to understanding challenging topics related to my research project. Dr. McDonald was always there to guide me in the right direction and send me new and interesting journal articles related to my research.

What advice would you give to any incoming first years?

My advice to incoming first years is to not worry too much if you do not immediately know what you want to study or what your specific career goals are. There is plenty of time to explore different majors or minors and figure out what the best fit for you is. Another piece of advice is to get actively involved in research by working in a lab. My personal experience at Mason would not have been the same without the learning experiences I got from working in a research lab and I enjoyed getting to know other students with similar interests.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

My current career plans following graduation is to apply to PhD programs in cognitive neuroscience. Particularly, I am interested in using neurophysiological measures such as EEG and fMRI to study human memory. My long-term career goal is to continue my career in research and academia and hopefully one day becoming a professor in psychology.