Tag: FPG

Today was my last day here at FPG :(. This morning, I got a crash course in implementation and research design. We also went through the mathematical background of the evaluation process once data has been collected. In addition, we discussed the pros and cons of different research methods. As you can see in the sticky notes below, images came in quite handy when trying to grasp these abstract concepts I have not yet been exposed to. However, I saw that many of the graphs and equations held many similarities to those I have seen in my math and science courses at CA. It was definitely eye-opening to see what I have learned in high school come into play in a field I am interested in pursuing.

Next, we reviewed the edits I had made to the rough draft of Mr.Holland’s book chapters yesterday. It was an amazing experience to see a professional confirm my ideas and use my suggestions to make edits to his own work. As I had felt many times throughout the week, I really was an active part of the team here at FPG.

On day one, we had discussed grant writing and budget creating and today I really got to see the difficulties involved in those processes. Due to employment by the state as well as money coming from different private funders, it can be difficult to figure out where you can spend money, where that money comes from and who needs it. While I am personally not interested in business, I now understand how having a good grasp on financial management is vital to any field.

We then took a break for lunch and headed to a local pizza restaurant. We were joined by two other researchers who I had been interacting with throughout the week through meetings. I loved getting to hear different peoples experiences in the field as well as their journies to get to where they are now. This definitely expanded my horizons even more and gave me even more paths to think about pursuing.

To wrap up the day we had one last phone call “meeting” with the business manager of a programming company that FPG works with. I again was exposed to the importance of financial planning, this time between two different companies.

Overall, I had an amazing experience and learned more than I ever could have anticipated. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming, allowing me to feel comfortable since the moment I stepped inside. I am certainly going to miss working here every day, but I am excited to see what next week has in store for me!

After a quick stop at RISE donuts, day three was off and running! We then went about our typical morning routine, going through emails and laying out a plan for the day.

I spent most of the morning reading over and editing Mr.Hollands rough draft for the first four chapters of his book. I was instantly hooked. I learned so much and I was honored that he trusted me to give my opinion on his work. When the book gets published (hopefully!) it will be amazing to know that I played a role, a small one but still, in its creation. (Right)

I also worked on annotating a paper entitled A Technical Assistance Model for Guiding Service and System Changes. Although the terminology was a little over my head, I got the hang of it and ended up really enjoying the content. (Left). I Am really looking forward to discussing these two works tomorrow.

We also attended a meeting where we discussed the first stages of a possible research intervention and grant proposal. This was the first time I got to see the process start at its roots and while it certainly was overwhelming it was also very eye-opening to see how difficult planning a project really is.

After at hectic hour-long commute I arrived back at FPG for my second day.

The morning began by going through emails and making a plan for the remainder of the day. At 9 AM we headed across the street to a meeting entitled Research, Responsiveness and Reflection: Lessons from Rural Partnerships. The meeting was led by Mary Bratsch- Hines and Laura Louison, both researchers at FPG. The meeting began by everyone going around the room to share their name and their background. This was a unique experience in that I not only saw the very diverse backgrounds different researchers came from but I was invited to share with the group as well. During that meeting, I felt like another member of the group rather than an observer and everyone was so supportive. The content itself was eyeopening for me – while everyone wants to help people in impoverished areas, and even though we have programs designed to help, it proves very difficult to actually implement these programs.

After this meeting, Mr. Holland explained that he has been working on his own book. First, I helped him edit his proposal and then I began editing the chapters for clarity, which I will continue to do tomorrow. Getting to work on a real book is an experience I could have never have anticipated getting to be a part of.

Around 11:30 we took a lunch break in downtown Carrboro where we got pizza- it was delicious! Then we headed to the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. We spent the afternoon baking cookies and rice crispy treats for the families that were staying there during treatments. If I am being honest I was a little confused as to how this was part of his job. He explained that FPG has a quality of life committee and they believe that volunteering is one of the keys to being happy.  Every month, they set up different volunteer activities for their employees to participate in.  I am very hopeful that I will get to continue volunteering even when I join the workforce and that companies still see the importance of giving back.

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (FPG) is committed to  Advancing knowledge to transform children’s lives.                                             

The Trohanis Technical Assistance (TA) Projects group at FPG is dedicated to improving the availability and quality of services, and ensuring optimal outcomes, for very young children with, or at risk for, disabilities and their families.

Mr. Holland is TA that works for Trohanis within the Franklin Porter Graham Child Development Insitute.

Upon arrival, Mr.Holland and I sat down and talked through an overview of his work. He explained how grant proposals work and we talked through a few of his current budgets and project plans. We then prepared for meetings later in the day by looking at minutes from previous meetings and phone calls with his co-chairs via zoom calls. We also joined in on a call with a team that designs the website used to categorize data from school districts around the state.

He then explained that everyone has professional development funds and so we worked to find organizations he could become a member with using these funds.

For lunch, we attended another meeting. In this meeting, the presenter talked about RTC’s (randomized control trials) and the best practices to use when designing this kind of research experiment as well as pros and cons to taking this path in general.

Then we ran to, yes, another meeting! This one was unique because it focused on making the company more equitable. Mr.Holland chairs a committee that is committed to making the workplace a more respectful and representative place. During this meeting, we worked on writing a mission/vision statement for the committee as well as potential organizations they could partner with in the future to accomplish these goals. I was able to give outside perspective about how I interpreted the mission statement and my suggestions were used to reword parts of the statement. This was very unique but I was able to be a part of something that will hopefully hold true for the company for years to come.