Featured Graduate Student, May 2009
Linsey Barker

Interview:

How would you describe your area of study to your grandmother?
Generally, I am interested in improving the quality of healthcare systems to try and ensure patient safety and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of medical service delivery. Specifically, I am studying how fatigue in nursing affects performance. Nurses in the U.S. frequently work long hours and are exposed to high mental and physical demands in providing care and performing their work. Ultimately, these demands can lead to mental and physical fatigue in nurses and increased risk for medical errors and nursing injuries.

What is your primary motivation for persevering through graduate school?
Hmmmm... because I have come too far not to persevere? But, in all seriousness, because I truly believe in education and enjoy learning, teaching, and giving back to my communities through research, scholarship, and engagement. I think academia is one of the most amazing and satisfying careers you can have. It's definitely pretty cheesy, but I really believe that having a graduate degree will better enable me to make a difference and positively transform higher education, healthcare systems, and maybe even society in general.

What is your favorite stress-reduction technique?
Once a week I try to go to lunch with a group of graduate students that I met in the PFP Global Perspectives course. We all went to Switzerland together to study higher education and have become very good friends so I enjoy talking to them and they actually serve as a sort of support group for me. I also volunteer at the Lyric, spend some time at River Mill, and take my dog for walks to help relieve stress.

What is the last book you read strictly for pleasure and how long ago was it?
I am currently about half-way through several books but I think the last book I read and finished for pleasure was Three Cups of Tea. I finished it over winter break and was thrilled to get to see Greg Mortenson speak in person on campus on April 15.

What are your aspirations upon graduation?
After graduation, I will be moving to Missouri to start a position as an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri. So, I guess I hope I can make a successful transition to being a faculty member and continue to be inspired in teaching and research and service. And then I hope to find some work-life balance and discover what fun things there are to do in Missouri.

Describe your favorite childhood toy and what age you were when it first charmed you.
I don't really remember any favorite toys from my early childhood and when I asked my parents they said I really liked books. One toy that I loved for many years when I got a little older was my Roller Racer scooter-like toy. I got it when I was maybe ~10 years old and in college we still had fun taking it for a spin in the driveway.

How has getting involved in campus or community activities shaped your graduate experience?
Getting involved in campus and community activities has made such a difference in my graduate experience and overall happiness and quality of life at VT. Without the service and leadership activities, I know my life would not have been as enjoyable here and I am not sure I would've been as successful as a graduate student. These activities have given me opportunities to get to know students in other disciplines (to avoid that academic isolation that so often occurs in graduate school) and form amazing friendships and social networks. They have also enabled me to work with faculty and administrators in different contexts and learn a lot about how higher education and universities really work. I have gotten so much more out of the campus and community service and leadership activities than I have put in... and when I look back, I think some of my fondest and most meaningful memories of graduate school will be from those activities and the people I got to know through them.

How do you find balance between work, play, and your other non-academic responsibilities?
Right now, I honestly don't have a ton of balance. But normally, I try to regularly schedule play time and use it as a motivation to get work done and not procrastinate.

If travel to Mars happens in your lifetime, would you want to be one of the scientists on board? If yes, what would you contribute to the mission?
Absolutely. I am always up for a new crazy adventure. As an industrial engineer, I would contribute feedback on process improvements, ensuring any technologies we would be using had intuitive and usable interfaces, and performing safety and ergonomic assessments.

What is your favorite comfort food and why? How often do you consume it?
French fries (actually cheese fries from Bull & Bones) are my current favorite comfort food... lately I have been consuming them a bit more regularly as I try to finish writing my dissertation.

View previous Featured Graduate Student interviews >>

Would you like to nominate a student to be featured?
Currently enrolled VT graduate students can be nominated for a variety of reasons -- academic or personal accomplishments, service to the department or the university community, or any other reason that makes them a unique and valuable member of academe. Students, faculty, or staff can submit nominations by completing a short nomination form.