24 Jun Claire Shaver- Behavioral Science, Prologue

Bodie, my host-dog

Hello, my name is Claire Shaver. I attend Telluride High School and this summer I have the privilege to intern at the Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD) at the University of Washington in Seattle. I arrived in Seattle on Thursday and I was able to arrive at my host family’s house with no problem. Over the weekend, I started my internship; It was a perfect time to start because a conference for a rare genetic event (dyrk1a) was happening. I was able to observe the variety of tests they preform on the subjects including an ADOS (test looking at the different levels of autism), a Mullen (a test to calculate the mental age of the subjects), an EEG, and an eye tracking. When I was not observing testing, I was able to be hands-on with the kids by playing with them to allow their parents to more thoroughly enjoy the conference. This weekend I also learned how to use the Seattle bus system. Let’s just say it is not as relaxed as Telluride’s stand on any corner. 🙂 These next few weeks, I will rotate between biking and riding the bus to work. This weekend was a great prologue to my internship. I look forward to the weeks to come with amazing people and studies I will be able to observe.

Eye tracking