What years did you participate in UROP?

2016-2017

What UROP Program(s) were you a part of?

Traditional UROP as a Freshman

 

What made you choose UROP?

My passion for science and discovery, to find a research project, learn how to think critically and ask testable questions.

What do you think you have learned from your UROP experience?

How to think and reason critically. UROP has given me the skills to formulate testable hypotheses. Therefore, how to ask questions and transform these questions into hypotheses and experiments. Also, how to present and communicate my research findings succinctly.

What is the extent to which you have kept in contact with your Research Mentor?

Just as I was a participant in UROP.

How did your UROP experience shape or inform the next steps you took in your academic and professional journey?

Doing research contributed to habits of critical thinking which was valuable in effectively analyzing and evaluating complex ideas in research. It also reinforced my love for science and discovery and allowed me to be hired into a pharmacology research lab. There I got to independently run a research project and have my first publication.

Where are you in your professional journey?

Taking a gap year after applying to medical school and taking a few more classes in college. Also, plan on finding ways to volunteer my time in the hospital during this pandemic.

What advice would you give to a current UROP student?

Don't be afraid, and be willing to ask questions about everything and anything. Asking questions is the key to understanding different viewpoints and perspectives, permitting you to learn and grow. This will allow you to start asking and developing testable questions and hypotheses. This could potentially give you the opportunity to start and run an independent research project which would look amazing on your resume. I encountered many challenges during my time doing research. I learned how beneficial and crucial it is to have patience. Initially, my research was unpromising, and I came to believe that I was just wasting my time. However, after talking to my PI, I came to understand that patience is a virtue of scientific research and I should adjust my hypothesis to be broader. I then began seeing promising results and writing manuscripts became a hopeful reality. Also, use the end of the year research symposium that UROP requires, to learn how to present information succinctly and improve your oral communication skills for future research presentations.

What are some recent publications or accomplishments that you are proud of?

I was given the opportunity to present my findings at a research conference in San Diego, CA. Experimental Biology (EB) encompassed research of the role that different surface proteins have on thrombus formation, to research on how different educational systems are more effective than others. Using my data, I was able to provide quantitative reasoning as to why omega-3 fish oil pills provide cardioprotective benefits. Due to the extensive work that had to be put into creating my poster and making it succinct, I gained insight in collaborative learning. From my eagerness to engage in discovery and learning as a team, EB provided personal satisfaction to my intellectually curious mind.

Publication:
Omega-6 DPA and its 12-lipoxygenase oxidized lipids regulate platelet reactivity in a non-genomic PPARα-dependent manner