OUR Student Ambassadors are a group of undergraduate researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill who work with the Office for Undergraduate Research in the College of Arts & Sciences to promote a culture of research on campus. We shine a spotlight on three of them during University Research Week, Oct. 19-23.
Name: Alyson Nelson
Hometown: Patrick Springs, Virginia
Major and graduation year: Class of ’21, double major in exercise and sport science and anthropology, minor in food studies
Research focus: My research focuses on metabolism and body composition in a variety of participants. I also often work in sports supplements and exercise intervention studies.
Why I do research: I do research to contribute, even in a small way, to the pursuit of new knowledge. Research also presents the unique opportunity to take what I learn in class and apply it in a real-world context. I have become more confident in my ability to understand and present research while simultaneously expanding my knowledge beyond the classroom.