Nothing is as exciting to me as being able to apply my skills to a new task. When I started as a lab technician at a molecular biology research lab, I had an immediate drive to see what I could accomplish with my years of experience from biology and chemistry classes. My studies and focus paid off: I was able to rapidly prepare and resupply nearly a dozen different solutions used by the lab for experimentation, and also produce about 150 2X YT agar plates per month using one of four different antibiotics. This required keeping track of about 15 different chemicals in the lab stockroom, and how depleted the supplies were. Through persistence and organization, I consistently fulfilled and exceeded my duties as a technician, allowing the lab to run smoothly despite a busy schedule.

Aside from being engaged, I also focus on becoming an expert in what I do. My first job at Brandeis University involved making meal for the approximately one million fruit flies used by the university's labs. Over the next two years, I quickly built up my knowledge of the species, taking care of and heavily cutting down the number of sick flies at one lab, and sorting and breeding flies at another. I have gained experience in many aspects of fruit fly management, and in a similar way I have tried to become an expert on many other topics.

In my free time, I always try to learn more about the world. I enjoy taking part in a journal club where I examine neuroscience-related papers with other Brandeis students, and I also enjoy running simple, safe science experiments at home. I've grown a deep appreciation for what I study and the work I do through this, and I am eager to keep expanding my horizons with new opportunities. Thank you for reading.