Like a rollercoaster  – Our students cope with COVID-19

Among our current students are the shining stars of tomorrow’s global research scene. Disrupted by the insidious pandemic, their training period was transformed. How did the pandemic change their research project and their learning, and in doing so, how did it reveal their character? Four young next-generation researchers tell their COVID-19 stories.

From her sun-filled apartment, Stephanie Coronado-Montoya has the lilting voice of someone who has beaten the pandemic gloom through determination and discipline. A daunting task, according to this doctoral student who has been working in the laboratory of Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad (Neuroscience research theme) since January 2019.

For this young woman, pregnant with her first child in April 2020, the health crisis forced her to juggle with the stress and emotions related to her pregnancy and COVID‑19, while sharpening her coping skills.

To deal with isolation—her family lives in Miami—and fatigue, routine became the best pathway to normalcy. “Working at home just as I was doing when I was at the Research Centre, disciplining myself by setting objectives and deadlines, helped me stay motivated,” she said.

Even though her studies progressed more slowly on the whole, one of her projects was implemented nationally. This online survey concerns a risk-reduction intervention for young adults with psychosis who use cannabis. In normal circumstances this population is hard to reach, but thanks to a smart phone application, they were able to benefit from the intervention developed by Stephanie and her colleagues.

“With the pandemic, the number of conferences and webinars available online exploded. Since I had more time to devote to them, I was able to learn more in my area of expertise and related subjects. It’s an excellent thing and I plan to make it part of my schedule after the pandemic!”

The health crisis reminded her of the importance of always promoting science, properly understanding it and informing people in her circle with reliable data.

She sees a bright future ahead. “Being able to look a person in the eyes rather than through a computer screen would be a good start!”