April 12, 2022
On Thursday April 21, 2022, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will hold the 20th
Annual Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) to recognize students for their hard
work and dedication in producing outstanding academic projects. This all-day event
will feature a student poster session, individual presentations, and group work that
encompasses the time and dedication MCLA’s students have put into their academic endeavors
in the past academic year.
The undergraduate research experience at MCLA encompasses a wide range of activities,
from formal clinical studies to managing a publication like the MCLA Beacon, to artistic
works and beyond. During the URC, students will present academic and creative work,
and the conference is open to students of all disciplines. The URC is a great way
for members of the media to get a sense of the depth and breadth of scholarly work
going on at MCLA.
To find out more, visit www.mcla.edu/urc
During the URC luncheon, MCLA alumnae Rose Mastico ’18 will give the keynote lecture.
Mastico, who currently works as a User Experience (UX) researcher at Geode Capital
Management in Boston, earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at MCLA (graduating
summa cum laude) and went on to complete a Masters in Experimental Psychology in Washington
State.
About Rose Mastico
With a heavy focus in neuroscience, she studied the conscious mind and emotions, completing
both a senior thesis at MCLA and a master’s thesis on the subject. Believing she wanted
to fast track into a PhD program, Rose went to a master’s program that set her up
for that track. One year into the program, however, she found a craving for a more
dynamic approach to psychological research. Through trial and error, she soon found
the field of User Experience Research.
Four months out of her master’s program, she landed an independent contractor gig
working as a UX Researcher for a small robotics startup company based in Armenia and
Los Angeles, California. The startup introduced her to a career in tech, where she
worked with consumers to understand their needs in relation to her company’s product.
From there, she learned that tech has no boundaries and can be found in a variety
of businesses. She moved into her current position in November 2021 after a year working
in the startup world. Although her company is a financial asset company, it has a
thriving technology team that Rose is a part of. The company is on the forefront of
creating cutting edge financial management systems and Rose’s job is to make sure
the design of the system is supported by unbiased and intentional research. This year,
she is working toward a managerial position where she will lead product development
and a future team of UX researchers.
In her free time, Rose enjoys staying close to friends and family in MA and exploring
new parts of the city of Boston. She has recently taken on a new role as an aunt and
is starting out as enthusiastic mentor to students who are looking to break into new
research fields.
