Angel Lima Hernandez

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Meet Angel Lima Hernandez, a 4th year Chemistry major. Angel is a participant in the California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program, an NSF-funded program whose goal is to enhance diversity in the STEM fields by supporting students from historically underrepresented groups. We had the chance to ask about Angel’s research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

Before contacting professors, I participated in URC Research Workshops and Newsletters to understand how to get involved with research. I then contacted professors whose work I found interesting, and Professor Sarah Tolbert kindly responded. Professor Tolbert involved me in my current project, a joint one with Professor Sarah Tolbert and Professor Richard Kaner, which I have been working on since Winter 2023. My project involves studying the inverse Hall-Petch effect in superhard transition-metal diborides.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

My research experience at UCLA has been fantastic. I am very happy that I get to work on a long term project that I can call my own. By reading papers, asking questions, and learning from my mistakes, I have been able to obtain a strong knowledge foundation that enables me to excel in my work. The research experience at UCLA has shown me the nuances of a Ph.D program, and has given me the confidence that I can do well in one.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

One piece of advice is to identify your specific interests in a field. For example, I am particularly interested in materials/inorganic chemistry. Once you are able identify your specific interests, you can go ahead and search for labs that align with your interests. Then once you are in a lab, you have the curiosity to learn all about your project and push the research forward.

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

Yes, in August 2023 I attended the Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) Symposium, where I talked about my research over the summer. My overall experience for this Symposium was rewarding. The main struggle during the preparation process was delivering the talk in a calm and professional tone. However, after plenty of practice with the CAMP director Dr. Jorge Avila and my fellow CAMP scholars, the talk ultimately went well. The continuous practice helped me gain a new confidence in my ability to talk science, and therefore my overall ability as a professional scientist in training.

5. What are your future career goals?

My career goal is to become a lead scientist in industry with a Ph.D in Chemistry. I hope to have more of a leadership role while also performing my own research.

Ryan Wong

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Meet Ryan Wong: a sophomore in the pre-Computational and Systems Biology major, an interdisciplinary major at UCLA. This past summer, Ryan was part of the 2023 URC-Sciences Summer Program, a 10-week opportunity for UCLA undergraduates to undertake research with a UCLA faculty and receive professional development through workshops and seminars. We had the opportunity to hear more about Ryan’s research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

Few other organs in the body are as important as the brain; it controls everything! Isn’t that interesting? So many things can damage it but we don’t have any reliable methods of healing or prevention. That’s why the Geschwind Lab’s research in neurological disorders caught my eye as I looked for opportunities for my sophomore summer. I reached out and quickly found a positive and supportive work environment where I learned about different modern computational techniques and applied them to the research project I’m working on now.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

I can only say that it’s been a blast! Conducting research in science is remarkably different from studying science in a classroom. My lab and research have given me a space to freely make mistakes, to grow, and explore topics that I find myself continuing to ask questions about! I’m fortunate to have a great mentor who supports my personal and professional goals, and it’s only allowed me to grow my experience in academia even more.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

So many people experience imposter syndrome when they first get involved in research. But it’s important to realize that everyone starts from somewhere. Whenever I face these struggles, I remember that the only way I can grow is by challenging myself, and that I can rely on my mentor to guide me.

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

As part of my last research program, I presented at a poster presentation among my peers. It’s definitely a nerve-wracking experience and I couldn’t help but compare my project with the others’. Thankfully, my mentors were there to help and support me throughout the way, giving me a fresh perspective on my presentation and helping me anticipate questions. When it finally came time to present, I was no longer nervous and actually realized that presentations are an amazing forum for scientists to share their ideas, meet like-minded individuals, and become interested in the research in and out of their field!

5. What are your future career goals?

I hope to pursue an MD-PhD and one day contribute to improving the health of our communities!

Jordi Martinez

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Meet Jordi Martinez, a 4th year neuroscience major. Jordi is a part of the Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program, an NSF-funded program whose goal is to enhance diversity in the STEM fields by supporting students from historically underrepresented groups. Jordi is also part of the UCLA neuroscience department Scheibel Scholars program for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year. We had the opportunity to learn more about Jordi’s research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

I joined my lab in fall of 2022 by applying to a position posted on the UCLA Undergraduate Research Portal. At UCLA finding any research position is tough since labs spot fill up almost immediately. Throughout the summer between my second and third year, I was cold emailing several professors whose labs I had been interested but had no luck finding any openings. When I heard about the research portal, I realized it was a super convenient way for me to find available research positions. I filtered by neuroscience and psychology labs and found a position in the Brain Connectivity and Cognition Laboratory located in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience. I wrote a cover letter, sent in my resume, and was later called in for an interview. To this day I am working in the same lab on a diffusion MRI project investigating the structural connectivity of a child born with callosal agenesis. I am preparing to submit a first author paper for review by the end of 2023.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

I would describe my research at UCLA as demanding but very rewarding. My lab trusts me to handle my project on my own schedule, allowing me to come into the lab as I please and even work remotely. This gives me greater independence when it comes to how I plan my research around other responsibilities like class and clubs but also requires me to be self-sufficient. For example, I have learned to constantly read the background literature in my field to understand the greater context of my research. I try to read at least 1 paper every time I come into the lab so I can gather ideas and plan what to investigate next. I am also incredibly lucky to have two great mentors in my lab: Dr. Lucina Uddin and Dr. Jason Nomi. They guide all the undergraduates in the lab not just with their projects but also with larger career planning in the sciences. Good mentorship continues to be imperative for my success in research here at UCLA.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

For students wanting to get involved at research here at UCLA, my biggest piece of advice is don’t wait! It is never too early to start research even as a first-year student. One regret I have was waiting till the end of my second year to apply to labs. As I mentioned before, it is not easy to find open positions and you will most likely get turned down a lot. However, that’s completely normal and is by no means a reflection of your ability to do research here at UCLA. This advice goes for any research program or scholarship as well. Even if you think your chances are minute, apply, apply, apply!

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

In spring of 2023 I presented my research at the Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference and the Semel Undergraduate Research Conference. It was my first time creating a poster presentation of my research, so I was nervous but excited to show what I had done.  Creating the poster and preparing the oral presentation taught me how to succinctly explain my research to a non-expert audience which is an essential skill for any researcher. I learned how to prepare the classic 3-minute elevator pitch that highlights the important aspects of my work while keeping the audience engaged. I am currently preparing for another presentation about my research as part of the Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program.

5. What are your future career goals?

After graduation, I plan to take a gap year to continue research through either a post-baccalaureate program or research assistant position. During this year I will also prepare my application to apply to a combined MD/PhD program for neuroscience. I hope to one day run my own clinical lab investigating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Hanna Hoang

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Meet Hanna Hoang, a 4th year undergraduate at UCLA majoring in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics. Hanna is currently a part of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), a scholarship program that supports students conducting a research project with a UCLA faculty member. Her work was published earlier this year in Neuro-Oncology, the official journal of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. We had the chance to interview Hanna about her research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

My first year at UCLA was online, but I still wanted to get involved in research. I found out about CURE, or Collaboration in Undergraduate Research Enrichment early on in my freshman year. It’s a club that gives students looking to get into research at UCLA mentorship resources and workshops on how to get their foot in the door with research. So, whilst taking remote classes, I was able to write cold emails to several different labs that I was really interested in. I was super lucky to get placed in the lab that I’m currently in: the Vlashi Lab. I always knew I wanted to explore the field of cancer research, and I am nothing but grateful to be a part of this lab, where I get to do exactly that! Coming into the lab as a sophomore, I was completely new to research. But, under the guidance of my PI and mentors in the lab, I saw myself growing as a researcher, improving not only my technical skills, but also my critical thinking.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

I would say that my time in conducting research at UCLA has been a rich, and truly immersive experience, one that truly allowed me to experience what the world of research was like. It was truly invaluable to be able to talk to so many people and glean as much knowledge as I could from them. I loved hearing about the diversity of motivations that people had for pursuing careers in science, which in turn made me even more excited to pursue a career in this field as well! Being a research-heavy university, I truly feel that UCLA provides so many opportunities for students to get involved in research, whether its through free informational workshops, or scholarship programs.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

I would say that it’s very easy—and normal—to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of laboratories and distinguished professors engaging in such fascinating and important research, especially when you are an undergraduate looking to get involved. But my number one piece of advice is to remember that you don’t have to know everything. No one expects you to know how to culture cells or perform a Western blot perfectly on your first try. And when you’re applying to labs, don’t feel discouraged if you don’t have much (or any) research experience at all. Most labs want to see your willingness to learn and grow. As long as you have that, the rest will follow!

4. Have you had your work published? Can you talk about what that process was like?

My work recently was published in Neuro-Oncology as part of the publication “M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase rewires glucose metabolism during radiation therapy to promote an antioxidant response and glioblastoma radioresistance.” It was a long, but immensely rewarding, experience, especially for the senior members of my lab. On my end, it required repeating experiments many times to ensure our results were consistent and publishable. After the paper was submitted, we all felt a wave a relief. However, waiting to hear back from the journal was the most nerve-wracking part. When we finally got the news that our publication was accepted, it was such exciting, yet relieving, news! One of my favorite moments was when our lab celebrated with a potluck in the Botanical Gardens afterwards.

5. What are your future career goals?

It took me a while to solidify my career path, but I ultimately plan to pursue a PhD after graduating. The precise subject I plan to study is still undecided, but it will definitely have to do with translational research involving potential therapeutic applications for diseases such as cancer.

Vivien Su

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Meet Vivien Su, a 4th year Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology (MCDB) major and Biomedical Research minor. Vivien is part of the 2023-2024 Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), a three-quarter scholarship program that supports students conducting a life science, physical science, or engineering research project. This past summer, Vivien participated in the 2023 URC-Sciences Summer Program, a 10-week opportunity for UCLA undergraduates to undertake research with a UCLA faculty and receive professional development through workshops and seminars. Additionally, Vivien is taking the MCDB 198 honors research series and is working on a biomedical research minor senior thesis. We had the chance to hear more about Vivien’s research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

After being exposed to so many fascinating research topics in my introductory biology classes, I wanted to become involved in UCLA’s amazing legacy of scientific exploration and discovery. I started cold emailing professors the summer after my freshman year, hoping to join a group that investigated epigenetics, cancer, and/or molecular diseases. By luck and good faith, I found the lab that was meant for me. They took a chance on me and taught me everything I know, from pipetting and culturing cells to becoming an independent thinker. I spent the first six months learning the basic molecular biology lab techniques. Once I was able to stand on my own two feet, I was given my own project, which is really an extension of a work previously started and published by my direct mentor Dr. Zhengyi Zhang.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

My research experience at UCLA has been extremely fulfilling and eye-opening–it’s everything that I thought it would be and more. When I first joined my lab, I was intimidated and doubtful of myself because I had no prior research experience. However, my mentor and labmates believed in me and were more than willing to guide me, allowing me to thrive and accomplish things I had never imagined. Soon enough, I was utilizing techniques that I had previously only read about in my classes (e.g. quantitative polymerase chain reactions and western blots) to explore cutting-edge questions at the frontiers of obesity and metabolism. It’s one thing to learn about these skills and another to apply them in real time. In addition, having the space to make mistakes allowed me to grow as a problem-solver, which in turn, instilled a newfound sense of confidence in me. Having the immense privilege of investigating issues that could potentially have implications for human health and disease has been nothing short of incredible. My lab has truly become my second home at UCLA, and my mentors and coworkers, whom I cherish greatly, are an instrumental part of my undergraduate experience.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

Be kind and patient to yourself, and trust in the process. It is okay to not hear a “yes” after the first twenty emails you send. It is okay to go back to the drawing board after an experiment fails. It is okay to not know everything immediately. Having the right mindset and the will to persevere in the face of adversity are key. Surround yourself with people who will nurture your growth and recognize your potential. You’re running a marathon, evolving and growing along the way, so give yourself the space to fall down, but then pick yourself back up again. I guarantee you that if you stick with it, nothing can stop you.

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

I had the immense honor of presenting at the Department of Medicine Research Day in November 2022 and in UCLA’s Bruins-in-Genomics symposium the summer prior. I also participated in the 2023 Undergraduate Research Showcase this past May. All of these experiences have been so rewarding and memorable. I am always so inspired when I hear about all the remarkable work that my peers are doing. I cannot stress enough how important it is to broaden your horizons and become exposed to fields outside of your home area. Moreover, receiving feedback and guidance from people outside of my lab at these events have always been incredibly insightful. There really is no other feeling than immersing yourself in a community of scholars that share the same passion and hunger for research as you do, so I encourage you to not to be nervous but instead excited to share your accomplishments!

To prepare for conferences, I first consolidate all of my data/results and then put myself in the shoes of someone who is completely unfamiliar with my research to identify the key pieces of information that I need to underscore. After I have a rough outline going, I then work together with my mentor Dr. Zhang and P.I. Dr. Tamer Sallam to fill in the gaps and mold the presentation into a coherent and impactful story. And then it’s all about practice, practice, practice! I like to practice in front of my lab group, family, and friends. Ultimately, you want to have your own idea of how to present your story first and then modify it according to the feedback you receive. New perspectives are refreshing and can open your eyes to parts of your presentation that may have been unclear, so do not be afraid to rely on your circles.

5. What are your future career goals?

I want to become a physician scientist and pursue an MD-PhD after undergrad and a year of working in research. I am open to exploring a myriad of different fields but see myself most likely doing something in metabolism, cancer, or pediatrics. The dream right now is to treat patients and in tandem perform wet-lab research in the corresponding field. The idea of investigating the mechanism and underpinnings of the treatments that I prescribe to patients and being able to appreciate both the non-clinical and clinical aspects of medicine immensely excites me.

Blake Williams

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Meet Blake Williams: a 4th year biochemistry major and biomedical research minor. During the Summer 2023 Sessions, Blake was a member of the California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program. CAMP is an NSF-funded program shared across nine UC campuses whose goal is to enhance diversity in the STEM fields at the PhD and faculty level by providing financial and professional development support to students from groups underrepresented in these fields. The summer prior, Blake conducted research supported by the UCLA Biomedical Research Minor Summer Scholarship. We had the opportunity to learn more about Blake’s research experience at UCLA:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?

I started in the Spencer lab in spring quarter of my second year, which was my first year on campus due to COVID. The Spencer lab was one of at least 15 labs who I cold emailed when I was trying to get into research, and I was fortunate enough that they responded and had a spot open for me. Before joining the lab, I met with both Dr. Melissa Spencer and Robert, my graduate student mentor, and I talked to them about the lab’s research in gene therapies for muscular dystrophies as well as Robert’s project examining the immune response to systemic gene therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. I began to assist Robert with this project for my first summer in the Spencer lab, and after some interesting findings at the end of the summer I developed my own project that I am now conducting independently. My project examines the mechanisms of how macrophages can internalize AAV, the viral vector for gene therapies, at greater rates due to antibody or complement opsonization and its effects on the downstream immune response.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?

My research experience at UCLA has been very exciting, to say the least. I’ve been able to present my research at the Biomedical Research Minor Summer Symposium last summer, Undergraduate Research Week this year, and at the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) Annual Meeting in 2023. I’ve learned a lot about the unique challenges of the scientific process and the patience and determination that it takes to do research. Our lab has a lot of collaborators both on and off campus, so I’ve also been exposed to a wide variety of research in the field of gene therapy. In addition to the amazing opportunities and personal growth that I’ve experienced in my lab, I am also extremely lucky to be a part of Dr. Spencer’s group. We have an amazing group of undergraduates, lab technicians, and graduate students and Dr. Spencer is very supportive of all of us. She invites us over to her house for holidays and definitely knows how to party!

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?

One piece of advice I have for other students who want to do research is that joining a lab is not a permanent commitment. The beauty of being an undergraduate in a lab is that this isn’t your main job. If the lab you’re in isn’t working for you or there’s another lab that’s more closely aligned with your interests, then it’s ok to switch or even stop research. The most valuable part of the undergraduate research experience isn’t the presentations or publications that you may get out of your time in a lab, it’s understanding how research is done and seeing if you genuinely enjoy it or not.

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?

I attended the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) at the convention center in downtown LA earlier this year, where I presented my research with a poster that I collaborated on with my graduate student mentor. The process of preparing the poster mainly consisted of a few meetings with Dr. Spencer and the two of us talking about how we should organize our figures and then bringing back a few rounds of drafts. The poster session itself was a very open format where posters were hung up in a huge main room, and conference attendees could walk around and talk to us if our research interested them. We were at the poster for about 2 hours and we both gave and received a lot of advice! Outside of the poster session, the conference itself was amazing – I was able to hear from scientists from all over the United States and the world, both in industry and academia, who were doing amazing research and had really exciting results. Additionally, I received monetary support to attend this conference from the Department of Neurology, which is the department that our lab is a part of, so the conference cost me $0.

5. What are your future career goals?

My goal is to attend a medical scientist training program to earn an MD/PhD after a gap year continuing with my research in the Spencer lab. As a physician scientist, I hope to specialize in hematology/oncology and start my own lab where I will conduct clinical and/or translational research at the intersection of cancer treatment and gene therapy.

Palak Jariwala

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Congratulations to Palak Jariwala for receiving the Graduate Research Fellowships Program (GRFP) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF)!

A former member of the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP), Palak received the award for research titled: “Designing a Thermally Switchable Dielectric with a Metal-Organic Framework”. Palak plans to attend Columbia University to pursue a PhD in Materials Chemistry.

Lauren Tan

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Congratulations to Lauren Tan for receiving the Graduate Research Fellowships Program (GRFP) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF)!

A former member of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), Lauren received the award for research titled: “Understanding the Growth Mechanisms of Mercury Chalcogenide Nanoplatelet-Quantum Dot Heterostructures”. Lauren plans to attend Caltech to pursue a PhD in Physical Chemistry.

2023 CAMP Symposium

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The Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) is an NSF-funded program shared across nine UC campuses. Its goal is to enhance diversity in the STEM fields at the PhD and faculty level by providing financial and professional development support to students from groups underrepresented in these fields.

This year, the 2023 CAMP symposium took place on February 4th at UC Riverside and 5 UCLA CAMPers were recognized at the symposium pictured above.

Honorable Mentions in the Life Sciences category:
1.    Andrea Garcia Angulo (top left)
2.    Caitlyn Brahim (top right)

Special Merit in the Life Sciences category:
1.    Jennifer Gonzalez (bottom left)
2.    Daniel Meza (bottom right)
3.    Natalie Santillano (not pictured)

Additionally, the CAMP symposium recognized Caitlyn Brahim as one of the 2023 ThermoFisher Scholars for a phenomenal proposal on the role of microbiota on stress responses and neural activation in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease.
Only 9 of our 12 CAMPers presented posters at the Celebration, but all 12 presented virtually.

Congratulations to all our UCLA CAMPers that participated this year!

Justin Amakor 
Rodrigo Baltazar-Nunez 
Ava Bignell 
Caitlyn Brahim 
Andrea Chupina Estrada 
Andrea Garcia Angulo 
Jennifer Gonzalez 
Abigail Gutierrez
Victor Marano 
Daniel Meza 
Kelechi Onwuzurike
Natalie Santillano 

Jennifer Gonzalez

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Meet Jennifer Gonzalez; a 3rd year majoring in Neuroscience. It would be an understatement to say that Jennifer keeps herself busy while taking classes at UCLA. She was previously a member of the 2-year PEERS program offered by the URC-Sciences. During the summer, she also participated in the CARE SEM Summer Program, a 10-week opportunity for UCLA undergraduates to undertake research with a UCLA faculty and receive professional development through workshops and seminars, and the Richard Morgan Undergraduate Fellowship Program. Now as an upperclassmen, she is an active member of the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)U*STAR Program and the Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP). CAMP is an NSF-funded program shared across nine UC campuses whose goal is to enhance diversity in the STEM fields at the PhD and faculty level by providing financial and professional development support to students from groups underrepresented in these fields. Jennifer was kind enough to answer a few questions about her research experience and offer a few tips for those interested in beginning their research journey:

1. How did you first get involved in your research project?
I joined the Dong Lab as a rising senior in high school through USCs STAR Program. This process involved reaching out to different PIs, expressing my interest in volunteering at their lab, and interviewing with a series of lab members. I later trained as a histology assistant in the wet lab and met wonderful individuals, including the PI, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, and lab technicians. My experience learning about the Mouse Cortico-Basal Ganglia-Thalamic Network project, which involved tracing inputs from the striatum into different parts of the basal ganglia, helped consolidate my interest in neuroscience. This inspired me to further immerse myself in research on neuroanatomy. I continued my research in the Dong Lab by contributing to the creation of a mouse spinal cord atlas that can be applied to understand spinal cord injuries.

2. How would you describe your research experience at UCLA?
Overall, my research experience at UCLA has been extremely enjoyable and enriching. My involvement in PEERS throughout my freshman and sophomore years increased my exposure to different summer programs offered on campus. Hoping to continue my research project in the Dong Lab over the summer, I participated in the CARE SEM Summer Program. This program allowed me to dedicate a substantial amount of time to my project and learn new techniques in the lab. I also gained valuable perspectives from current graduate students and med school students. Additionally, I learned about the physician-scientist track through this program, which inspired me to apply to the Richard Morgan Undergraduate Fellowship (RMUF). Over the course of RMUF, I learned more about the MD/PhD pathway and attended a series of networking socials with current students. This experience helped me learn more about where
medicine and research intersect. I continued my involvement in research through MARC and the Louis Stokes California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) program, which have provided an abundance of resources that have collectively allowed me to develop my research skills, learn about scientific writing, and present at different research conferences.

3. What is one piece of advice you have for other students thinking about getting involved in research?
One piece of advice I would give other students thinking about becoming involved in research is to attend as many seminars and research talks as possible to learn more about on-going research at UCLA. Attending seminars and research talks can help you learn about different research techniques, projects, and labs on campus. This can also help narrow down your interests and labs that you would like to learn more about. Overall, this is a great way to network and meet new people in the research community.

4. Have you attended a conference before? If so, can you describe your experience on preparation, presenting, etc.?
Through the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) U*STAR Program, I had the opportunity of attending the 2022 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS). This was the first research conference I attended. I presented my progress on the “High-Resolution Mapping of Motor Neuron Groups in the Mouse Spinal Cord” project, which involves the creation of a continuous atlas of the mouse spinal cord. To prepare for my presentation, I created different versions of my poster and received constructive criticism to help produce an organized and concise presentation. This experience was extremely rewarding, because I learned about the different components of a poster and how to develop concise figures. Additionally, my experience at ABRCMS was extremely valuable as I met individuals from different backgrounds, learned about programs offered at various campuses, and attended research talks.

5. What are your future career goals?
After completing my undergraduate career, I plan to pursue an MD/PhD degree in neuroscience and conduct research related to epilepsy.