It’s time to reflect. Looking back at my first blog post, I originally emphasized the traits that would make me a more capable future scientist: independence, confidence, collaboration, and skepticism. I believe that, while there is plenty more room for improvement in each area, I managed to develop each of these traits throughout my summer.
I became more independent by mastering protocols, learning to be more organized/efficient, and taking on more and more work as the weeks progressed. I became more confident in my abilities through reading papers, analyzing data, and putting my own ideas out there. I was able to collaborate with my amazing lab and even with those outside of it, learning both from and with them. Finally, through the amazing mentorship of both my PI, Dr. Silva, and my mentor, Vanessa, I was able to think through aspects of my project, ask questions, and overall become a more critical student.
Regardless of what the future holds for my career, BSURF has confirmed that I enjoy the research process. As I move forward, I expect that research will continue to be in my life in some way or another, whether it be to solve a problem or to learn more about our world. More immediately however, I’m excited to continue my work with the Silva Lab this fall. Thank you to all who contributed to this wonderful experience!
