When I started this blog and this summer program, my primary expectations were to develop experience in a lab and learn about the lifestyle of a researcher. And as this summer comes to close, I can say these expectations were absolutely fulfilled. This experience has absolutely shown me what life in a lab is like, as I spent a lot of time working closely with my mentor and observing their day-to-day tasks.This summer program provided me with quite an invaluable experience for someone interested in the biological sciences. I am glad and grateful that I finally was able to physically be in a lab for the first time.
This experience has influenced me by opening my eyes to what many careers in science are like. This was not only because of my work in the lab, but also because of the faculty talks that we had many mornings. Duke faculty members visited us and discussed the trajectory of their careers and academic journeys. Hearing specific stories was incredibly helpful for learning about what pursuing science professionally is like, and I’m glad I got to listen to many different speakers. Additionally, the presentation of a poster helped me with my science communication skills, as I had to prepare a visually appealing poster and describe the significance of it to a variety of listeners who knew varying degrees of context about my work. This summer was a productive, eye-opening, and fun one that I will definitely remember!
