Undergraduate Scientific Review bolsters undergraduate research

Growing up in Tempe as a first-generation American, Surabhi Sajith, knew that she wanted to combine the global experience of her India-born parents with a desire to make a difference locally. Now a senior with ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Sajith is looking forward to putting her global health degree into practice as a medical student at the University of Arizona when she graduates in May.

“It was really important to me that I understood the backgrounds from which people come from, where my team would come from and where the people I care for come from. That led me to pursue a Pre-Medical Pathway and degree in global health,” said Sajith.  

For Sajith, the School of Human Evolution and Social Change’s degree program in global health was vital in helping her frame her undergraduate studies and provided her with important lessons she will take with her to medical school in the fall.

“As someone that knows that they're starting medical school in the fall, it’s a gift being able to know that every single person I meet will have different backgrounds and factors that affect not only the way that they present as a patient, but also who they are as humans. I think without my global health major, I might have struggled to see that human aspect because in medicine, what we're sometimes taught is very science and stat heavy,” said Sajith.

Of course, when it comes to the science of medicine, Sajith is equally adept. In addition to her two majors, she is working to complete a certificate in evolutionary medicine through the School of Life Sciences. From learning about the evolution of diabetes in Indian-American communities to how colonization affects health development, Sajith said that the combination of global health and evolutionary medicine gave her the complete toolkit to look holistically at human health.

“Right now, depression and anxiety are hot topics. There is an evolutionary component but it goes much deeper than that. I think it is incredibly important to also consider the global health ties because it comes into play every time you go to a doctor or have a new diagnosis,” said Sajith.

Her passion for combining life sciences and social sciences led her to help found the Undergraduate Scientific Review (USR) in 2022, under the direction of Alan Szeto, an assistant teaching professor with the School of Applied Sciences and Arts. The student-run club provides publication opportunities for undergraduate researchers. USR’s first edition featured work from seven ASU undergraduates and included a special section on microplastics.

“ASU is such a big research institution, but I think sometimes when someone is starting out, that can actually be overwhelming. They know there's opportunity, but they don't know where to begin. USR bridges that gap,” said Sajith.

Through USR, Sajith and her co-editor-in-chief, Mayson Woolf, hold monthly research meetings to provide undergraduates with opportunities to connect with professional researchers, do peer paper reviews and practice presentations. 

“We work with faculty members and guide students throughout the editing process so that they can better understand the feedback they are receiving. The goal is to expose undergraduates to research, so it expands their career options and maybe gives them a new perspective on their studies,” said Sajith.

Sajith credits her deep interest in helping other undergraduates fulfill their research goals to her experience as a global health major.

“I tell everyone, if you can do it, definitely pursue global health. What I quickly realized as a global health major is that this is so intertwined with every other part of our life now and you can definitely apply the critical thinking and research skills you learn to your day-to-day life no matter what career you choose,” said Sajith.