2017 Summer Research Highlight: Amgen Scholars

Three neuroscience students, Cody Savage, Niharika Loomba, and Jasmin Revanna (pictured below) were selected for the Amgen Scholars Program at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), Stanford University, and Caltech respectively. According to the Amgen Scholars' website, scholars are provided with financial support along with the opportunities to conduct research, to present data and results, and to develop working relationships with faculty mentors and students.

Here are some Q&As with them:
Cody Savage described his time at WUSTL:
What are some memorable experiences and benefits you gained?
 "I can program now using MATLAB! I met many wonderful people here and it was nice to have a full time research experience where the PI paid a lot of attention to you. We were also given MCAT/GRE preparations, mock interviews, personal statement writing workshops, and were taught how to write our own proposal."

Fun things to do?
"We explored the town, went to the arch, city museum (easily the coolest thing in St. Louis), went to a Cardinals game. I made a ton of new friends here. Especially my 5 roommates!"

Any advice?
"DO IT! You will have soooo much fun and it will be a fantastic learning experience. The worst thing they can tell you is no. Also, get like 5 people to check your essays before you turn them in. I started the application process by making a list of interesting programs around Thanksgiving break, applied for them during winter break."

Niharika Loomba was looking for programs with a strong focus on doing research. At the UAB Office of National and International Fellowships and Scholarships, Dr. Cook immediately recommended Amgen.

What are some memorable experiences and benefits you gained?

"Honestly, I received so many more benefits than I thought were possible. For example, I had the opportunity to work in a wet lab that studies how maternal illness during pregnancy can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism. At the end of the summer, I presented my research at the Stanford Summer Research Program Symposium as a poster presentation and an oral presentation. One of my favorite moments was when I was awarded Best Poster at the awards ceremony we had after the symposium because I could see that my hard work had paid off. I was also able to network and meet with Stanford PI’s and grad students face to face and ask them about applying to graduate school. Additionally, we had a variety of workshops targeted towards professional development and work-life balance that were very beneficial and eye-opening." 

Fun things to do?

"Probably my favorite part of my program at Stanford, aside from the research, was getting to hang out with all of the people in my program. Being in a tight-knit community of young scientists was absolutely incredible, and I am so glad to have made so many lifelong friends through it. Over the weekends, we had the chance to do fun things like take the Caltrain down to San Francisco and explore the city, take a trip to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, or just hang out in downtown Palo Alto and get some ice cream or coffee. The Bay Area also always has events going on, so I even got to go to two concerts this summer!"

How did you prepare in order to become a competitive applicant?

"I started asking my professors for recommendation letters around October so I could give them plenty of time to think about the letter before it was due in February. I started about thinking about which of the 10 institutions I wanted to apply to in late December. Once I determined the schools I wanted to apply to, I started my actual application for the program at the very beginning of January. That gave me a full month to do my research on each school’s program and get my essays completed and perfected before the February 1st deadline."

Any advice?

"DO IT! I can say for a fact that every single person in my program did not expect to get accepted in Stanford’s summer research program. Do not let your imposter syndrome hinder you from potentially being accepted into a truly beneficial program and having the best summer of your life. If you are interested in getting your PhD in any science field, you will learn so much more than you could have ever imagined in terms of getting into graduate school and what it is like to be a graduate student."

Jasmin Revanna made a video showing how she spent her summer in California: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2SqD_sw61hzVkdFRHoxRFUxT00/view?usp=sharing

Any advice?
"My advice to you is just believe in yourself. Do not think you are not good enough to apply to these kinds of programs. As cliche as this quote is, it is 100% accurate: "You miss 100% percent of the shots you don't take." Cody, Niharika and I all have one thing in common -- we are no where close to perfect. What kept us going was our passion for science. You don't need a 4.0 GPA and you don't need to be published. What you need to do is establish connections with the people you would be asking for recommendations and starting applications early. Lastly, go talk to your advisor as soon as possible. Dr. Gavin has been a phenomenal advisor to all three of us with her continual encouragement and support."

• Cody Savage is a Supplemental Instructor for Cell Biology class, serves as the Vice President, and on the Service and Outreach Committee for the Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, a funding manager for Taste of Science Birmingham. 
• Niharika Loomba is a TrailBlazer, a Teaching Assistant for Anatomy lab, Neuroscience Program Ambassador, and in the Delta Phi Omega Sorority. 
• Jasmin Revanna is an Undergraduate Research Ambassador, a reviewer of IMPUSE Neuroscience Journal, and the captain of Apsara dance team. 

• https://www.uab.edu/news/student-experience/item/8190-three-uab-students-selected-for-the-2017-amgen-scholars-program
• http://www.amgenscholars.com/

2017 Summer Research Highlights: Center for RNA Biology at OSU

Tina Tian, a neuroscience student, was accepted into the Center for RNA Biology Summer Undergraduate Program at Ohio State University, which ran in coordination with the REU in Molecular Biology sponsored by NSF.

She started by combing through hundreds of REU sites, specifically ones that focused on molecular genetics. "I stumbled upon the Ohio State University’s molecular genetics REU and applied…and was accepted by their Center of RNA Biology’s summer program instead, which is run alongside the REU program. The Center of RNA Biology’s program is aimed more towards people who may be considering a career in medicine along with a career in research," Tina Tian said.

Tian worked at the Sullivan Lab in the Department of Microbiology. Her project aimed to characterize novel bacteriophages that are active against pathogenic E. coli to eventually develop phage therapy options in response to the rise of antibiotic resistance. In terms of lab work, she gained new knowledge in research techniques regarding bacteria cultures and phage lysate generation. She described how huge The Sullivan lab is, "Apparently they are “The Virus Lab” at Ohio State with probably over 30 people working in the lab total." With 2 days of training, she joined their large-scale experiments. Even though it was a steep learning curve, working in a lab full-time for a change has given her a glimpse of what the future may look like.

"Both the REU and this Center for RNA Biology programs offer opportunities to think, talk, and write like a scientist, having all students give a 5 minute presentation about their summer project in front of PI’s and grad students in the first 2 weeks, writing a lay document, writing specific aims, and arguing about research ethics. We’ve also toured OSU’s cutting-edge microscopy center as well as their greenhouse."

"The program has definitely provided a great means of making new friends, people who are just as interested in research as you are and can be excited about it. Plus, with all the restaurants around OSU that take the BuckID, there are a lot of places to hang out and try new foods every day. Also, have to take advantage of the gym at OSU after all the food, haha. (Fun fact: OSU has 4x the number of students as UAB. Campus is like 2 miles across. It’s about a mile to walk to lab every day!). I haven't had a chance yet to truly explore the city but I do have some places in mind such as CoSci and the zoo/aquarium. The Sullivan lab itself has many undergraduate students who have graciously taken me in and are eager to show me around Columbus."

If you are interested in exploring similar research programs, this is what she has to say:

"Definitely start your applications as early as possible. Have as many people read your personal statement as you can. One personal statement can work for many applications, and honestly, apply to as many as you care to since there are no fees! I believe I applied for around 14 with 2 acceptances. Spread yourself out and hope for the best. These programs are definitely more research than medicine focused, so you do have to truly have an interest in pursuing research in your future career path!" She added that she aimed for 6 weeks in advance contacting professors who will write recommendation letters early in the application process, and giving periodic reminders, which is a key to ensuring that letter writers do not get upset.

Tina Tian is a senior in the neuroscience program, in the Science and Technology Honors program, founder of Music Notes for the Souls. You can reach her at tinatian@uab.edu.
http://rna.osu.edu/education-and-outreach/undergraduate-program/
https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp

Contributed by Tina Tian
Edited by Isabella Mak

 

2017 Summer Research Highlight: SURE at UAB

Two neuroscience students, Baraa Hijaz and Benjamin Borg, were accepted into the Surgery Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) summer program. Although Hijaz had research experience since he started his freshman year, he explained the SURE program aims to guide students aspiring to be physician scientists through the career process and provides an innumerable amount of opportunities for the students. While working on his own project, he was allotted times to shadow top tier surgeons and surgeon scientists, attend seminars ranging from GRE prep to research career development, and present at regional conferences and the UAB Summer Expo. Because his current trajectory is to aim at attaining a MD/PhD or pursuing a post doctoral fellowship after medical school/residency, he felt that this program was a perfect fit.

He said one of the main benefits of the program was the independence he was able to experience. 

"I believe that in order for a student that is new to science to truly excel, some degree of independence is necessary. After I received my initial training and learned most of the necessary techniques and experiments by my mentor, it was up to me to plan and execute the remainder of my experiments for my project. Dauntingly, this required me to read more literature and learn new things by trial and error. Doing so, however, led to a greater understanding of the overarching objective and the specificities of every experiment I conducted, ultimately allowing me to learn more and exceed my own expectations," Hijaz said. 

Outside of research, he was able to make new friends with other summer students, including medical students, residents, and undergraduate students from different institutions. One of the students taught him better ways to cook and meal prep, and was also his new gym buddy! 

"My mentor, Dr. Herbert Chen, took the lab to Trident Marina at Smith Lake, one of the cleanest lakes in the United States. There I learned to jet ski, water board, and surf!" (Pictured below)

He began writing his statement of interest around late December before the February application deadline. If you are interested in exploring similar opportunities, this is what he has to say: 

"I would mainly advise that students understand why they would like to pursue research. These programs are largely centered on students who are truly passionate about the investigative effort and hope to one day make a difference in the world through their endeavors in science. You will enjoy every second you spend at the bench if you are truly impassioned about the difference you’re making by conducing research. Keep your grades up, stay active on campus, and pursue your passions; this will take you a long way."

Baraa Hijaz is a sophomore in the neuroscience program, in the Science and Technology Honors program, and a research ambassador at the Office of Undergraduate Research. You can reach him at bhijaz@uab.edu. 

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/surgery/SURE

Contributed by Baraa Hijaz 
Edited by Isabella Mak