Way back in seventh grade my science teacher told us that “for every question you answer, a hundred more questions should form,” a quote that has stuck with me ever since. My time in BSURF has given me the opportunity to live by this philosophy and dedicate myself to exploring my many curiosities! Research has been a growing passion of mine, and the experience of working a 9-5 in the lab has given me invaluable insights into what a career might look like. I’m proud of how I’ve grown in my technical lab skills and my confidence as a scientist. Not only was having a PI and mentor that believed in my capabilities critical to my growth this summer but so was being introduced to a wide variety of faculty here at Duke as well as graduate students who supported and advised us. Day to day in the lab, I went from shadowing new techniques to designing my own procedures for analyzing our work. The transition to a more self managed work style taught me much about multitasking and balancing out my work to achieve the goals of the lab. Outside the work day and scheduled BSURF events, this summer I found an incredibly supportive community amongst my cohort that brought me joy and entertainment every day! The ‘babe cave’, as it became known, was a home that welcomed anyone and everyone, it’s a space I will forever be grateful for. The memories and lessons of this summer will most definitely linger on my mind…
