Researcher of the Week: Grace Tran

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 09:00:49 -0400

Meet Grace,

She is an Biological Sciences major and a URA Scholar. On her off-time she volunteers at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), where she works with mainly dogs (pit bulls) and cats. She is also a member of the Pre-Vet Society and LAHP. Her future plans are to either going to Grad school or Vet School to pursue research.

How did you find your mentor for your research?

I was introduced to my mentor through my brother, who previously worked with Dr. Leips. Dr. Leips was also my Professor my first year at UMBC and introduced my second mentor, Chia-Hua Lue.

How did you know this was the project you wanted to do?

I did not know this was the project I wanted to do. It took me about 2 years, working under the supervision of my two mentors, to determine what I ultimately wanted to pursue. With the correct guidance and learning opportunities I received in my lab, I was able to become inspired and decide what I wanted to do.

How much time do you put into your project?

I put roughly around 8-18 hours a week into my project. Since I get credit for my internship, I am required to work in my lab for at least 8 hours. However, there is not an exact time I put into my project. I usually work as many hours as I need to remain informed and on track.

How did you hear about the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) program?

I learned about the URA program from my mentors and peers in my lab (some were already or previously involved in the URA program).

Was the application difficult to do?

Yes, it required plenty of input and guidance from my mentors and peers. Since this was my first time doing an individual project, I took a lot of time reading research papers to determine how I wanted to address my project in the application. I also had to get my application revised multiple times by my mentor to ensure my explanations and responses were on par.

What has been the hardest part about your research?

The hardest part about my research was picking a hypothesis and knowing where to begin. It took quite a bit of brainstorming, reading, and discussing to decide what I wanted to do and how I was going to conduct my study in a reasonable manner.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?

My advice to other students getting involved with research would be to ask a great deal of questions and be prepared to make a lot of mistakes. Take time to do your own research to fully understand your study.

Read her abstract here...