Get to Know Michael
UTSA’s encouragement of undergraduate research has created great opportunities for students like Michael Segovia, who participated in the Virtual Research Experience for Undergraduates (vREU) program. There, he studied the correlation between social networks and diabetes distress in young adults. As a public health major, he also presented his research at the Great Minds in STEM (GMis) Conference. Check out Michael’s experience with his research and how these opportunities at UTSA are preparing him for the future.
What drew you to your research topic?
“As someone who is Hispanic, I’ve seen the struggles and complications that diabetes has on my family and the community. My grandmother has diabetes, and my family always has to worry about [her]. This constant worrying and anxiety can really debilitate the mental health of…the Hispanic community, especially since diabetes disproportionately affects the Hispanic community.”
Did you encounter any challenges during your research?
“When creating a research question, you have to make sure that it’s innovative, you have to make sure that it’s something that hasn’t been researched before. My first research question was definitely not the research question I put on the poster. Just the constant cycle of making a question, revising, editing, deleting.”
What impact did presenting at the GMis Conference have for you?
“The impact of presenting at the GMis conference was pretty large for me, mainly because I was able to see how diverse and huge the STEM community is. Also, it enabled me to see a future in research, and gave me the self-confidence to go with that career and to make it an actual career goal instead of just a dream.”
What’s your plan after graduation?
“After graduation, I plan to obtain my master’s in public health. I’m not sure which graduate program to do since research is so new to me, but I am researching programs right now…I also do plan on obtaining my PhD in sociology.”