Ida Österman Menander – Research Assistant

Ida Österman Menander completed her internship within U-CARE and the research project INVOLVERA in the fall of 2023. The internship helped her gain experience and insight into how research is carried out, and when she had completed the internship she was employed as a student research assistant.

Ida remembers her time as an intern with joy. During a period of 8 weeks in the fall of 2023, she was involved in the research project INVOLVERA, which aims to develop a support programme for people with dementia and depression.

What activities did you do during your internship within U-CARE?

– One of the tasks I did was translating interview guides from English to Swedish, for use in interviews with informal caregivers of people with dementia as well as researchers within the project. I also got to participate in project group meetings, scientific seminars, and the U-CARE Venue.

What were the most rewarding aspects of your internship?

– Above all, I am happy and grateful to have gained the experience of seeing what it is like to work in academia and to be involved in a research project. The U-CARE Venue was also a big plus. It was my first conference, so for me it was very educational to participate. I especially appreciated that so many internationally renowned researchers participated. It was something I had not expected to be invited to as an intern.

What has been the impact of your internship?

– My internship has resulted in that I have gained greater insight into how a research project works. I have also extended my professional network, which can be difficult when you are studying. The internship also led to a 20% student research assistant position. After completing my master's degree, I started working full-time as a research assistant. I have in my current position, among other things, interviewed informal caregivers of people with dementia and researchers involved in the INVOLVERA project. The interview guides I translated during my internship were very useful in this work.