Student Spotlight
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Major: Genetics
Minor: Ethics
Why did you choose Iowa State University?
I chose ISU because it was one of the few colleges that offered my major and was an institute with a strong emphasis on research across a broad scope of disciplines. Iowa State also had the most supportive and welcoming environment that provided me with the resources which evidently set me up for a successful future.
How did you become interested in your major (and minor)?
I had been interested in genetics since I first learned about genes in middle school learning about the Mendelian mode of inheritance. Since then, I continued to develop a strong passion to learn more about genes and the research that is done to study them. I picked up an Ethics minor to account for the ethical implication of genetic research.
What are your current goals following graduation?
I will be attending graduate school at Johns Hopkins University in the Human Genetics and Genomics PhD program, one of the next steps towards achieving my long-term goal of becoming a Principal Investigator.
Campus Involvement: During my undergrad I participated in Polish Club to connect more with my ancestry on my Dad’s side. I also participated in Line Dancing Club as a means to have a mental break from the more academic focused activities I participated in. Both allowed me to connect with students outside my major and research focus.
Research experiences: I have been involved in research on campus since the spring of my Freshman year starting out in Dr. Kang/Dr. Bai’s lab studying inflammation and aging using the Drosophila model organism. After 2 semesters and a summer internship I decided to pursue another area of genetic research to broaden my experience with Dr. Ravindra Singh studying the genetic disorder Spinal Muscular Atrophy in relation to alternative splicing, RNA biology, and transcriptomics. During my 3 years of research experience as an undergrad, and before starting my current work as a full-time research technician, I’ve attended a few conferences and presented posters of my work at multiple on-campus symposiums. Every lab and project I was involved in helped me develop foundational skills which I can apply in graduate school.
Internships: I had two summer internship opportunities provided under the Sui Tong Chan Fung Fund Summer Undergraduate Internship Award. The first happened the summer after my freshman year in the GDCB department under Dr. Ping Kang during which I developed a protocol to effectively dissect, perform immunostaining, and image the pupal stage of Drosophila on the Confocal Microscope. My Second internship was with Dr. Ravindra Singh in the BMS department studying the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic for the treatment of SMA and its off-target effects on the transcriptome. The work I did from both these internships contributed to two papers which are currently published, prepared me for graduate level work, and gave me the skills to stand out as an applicant.
What are a few things you love about your major and department?
While there was such a broad scope of fields and disciplines each faculty, staff, and student was involved in, there was still such a strong sense of collaboration and community. I enjoyed the many opportunities to present work through oral and poster presentations to a variety of audiences, as well as the scholarships available to help Genetics students expand their scientific experiences. The professors are also a part of what I love about the Genetics major. They are always there to support you if you reach out and ask. They don’t only help you with your current classes and tasks at hand but also in the next steps of your future. I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without their support.
How would you fill in the blank for high school students interested in your field?
“You’re going to love studying the sciences at Iowa State because ….”
...you’ll have access to a multitude of labs across a broad scope of disciplines that, without a doubt, you will find one that sparks your interests and guides you towards your future goals.
Do you have an example of how a professor or staff member has supported you at Iowa State?
I had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Geetu Tuteja after taking an introductory bioinformatics course. On countless occasions, she offered her spare time and attended every poster presentation I invited her to that she could manage. Even after I completed her course and graduated from ISU, she continued to support me throughout the graduate school application process by giving me tips on selecting schools, completing applications, and preparing for interviews. Many of my achievements today would not have been possible without her support.
Last comments:
My best advice for new students is... to take advantage of campus-organized events, especially early in your college career, as they are one of the best ways to find friends, future roommates, study buddies, and more.