By Krisha Mehta, Library Communications Student Assistant
Katie Sonier is using her research skills to build a better experience for other researchers at McMaster University.
Sonier is on the context, input, process, product assessment team with the Digital Research Commons Pilot. The pilot project is focused on improving access to digital research services, software, and training to ultimately improve digital research for the entire McMaster research community.
Along with producing an environmental scan, Sonier’s role also involves speaking to research stakeholders and carrying out thematic analyses. This will be used to create a report that characterizes McMaster’s current digital research support landscape and provide recommendations about how groups like Digital Research Commons Pilot can improve outcomes for researchers.
“I enjoy doing qualitative analysis because it helped me get out of my comfort zone,” she said. “It is satisfying and unique since you are pulling out several smaller themes from interviews and generating a full report on it.”
As a part of her master’s eHealth degree, Sonier is simultaneously completing her internship placement at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as an eHealth business analyst intern. In this role, she has transferrable skills that she learned at McMaster University Library.
“Thematic analysis is a skill I have really only learned recently, but it is helping me as I have been able to bring that over to my current role,” said Sonier. “This is something I would consider pursuing further in my career.”
As someone who has conducted research, Sonier says it is important that researchers feel supported. She said she feels she is contributing toward something that has broader implications.
“Talking to people from different disciplines and showing them their opinion is valued is so important to me,” said Sonier. “When you are working towards something that is bigger than you, it drives you.”
Besides her work at McMaster University Library and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Sonier spends her free time volunteering as a research director at The Canadian Courage Project, a non-profit for youth experiencing homelessness. She also enjoys reading and fitness.
“I enjoy sitting down and reading a book instead of watching Netflix somedays,” she said. “I also recently started spin classes, so that has been fun.”
Angela Di Nello, senior manager of the Digital Research Commons Pilot, says Katie’s bright, enthusiastic and eager nature makes her a good addition to the Digital Research Commons Project staff group.
“Katie’s meticulousness, critical thinking skills, and genuine kindness motivate others around her,” said Di Nello. “It also reminds us of how fortunate we are to have her on this team.”
With her experience in research within health-care, Sonier is enthusiastic about contributing to the improvement of the health-care system.
“I feel like the way to improve the health-care system is through digital tools or technology,” she said. “Helping researchers with this will potentially help improve the lives of Canadians and people around the world.”
Students of summer is a storytelling series from McMaster University Library featuring the student assistants who work in our spaces and provide valuable assistance to patrons during the spring and summer months.
