My name is Solène Cotier and I am a second-year PhD student in the French Department. After a busy first year at OSU, I enjoyed my first full summer in the US. I had the chance to travel with my family, who came to visit me, and we had a great time in Florida!
During this (relatively) calmer period, I undertook independent studies and had a great time. As someone who sometimes has trouble getting ideas out of my head and into a coherent form, having dedicated one-on-one time with a faculty member was precious. I am very glad to say that I made important progress in figuring out the direction I want my research to take!
I particularly want to thank Dr. Lucille Toth for accepting to help me with my work, introducing me to new authors and concepts, but also giving me guidance on how to work efficiently as someone at the beginning of their research journey. Feeling this kind of support and guidance really makes a difference, and it allowed me to discover new interests. I enjoyed the surprise of seeing my work take unexpected directions as our conversations unfolded. And I’m so very grateful to everyone else who extended their hands to me throughout this process as well! Merci!