Meet Vani. She is a Biological Sciences and Psychology major currently doing an internship at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in Bethesda. Her research investigates cocaine abuse. She is also a member of the Honors College.

Who did you work with on this project (PI, graduate students, other students) and how did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this lab?
I would say that I have been extremely fortunate to have a position in this lab mainly because of the people that I work with. My most immediate team consists of my mentor, a post-bac, and a post-doc, with whom I am currently working on a series of projects. I have done my fair share of reading articles and practicing certain skills to gain a solid understanding of my project, but everyone in my lab has been extremely helpful and supportive of fostering my growth in the lab.

Do you get course credit for this work? Paid? How much time do you put into it?
This internship is unpaid, but I do receive credit through the Honors College and courses in my major. I put in approximately 16-18 hours each week.

What was the hardest part of your research experience?
The hardest part for me was finding the perfect balance between classes and research. Especially because I have a 20 minute commute to my lab, I had to be careful in scheduling classes while making sure I was still challenging myself academically. I have learned to get things done ahead of time in either lab or in studying for my classes depending on upcoming deadlines or exam dates.

What was the most unexpected thing?
We still laugh over it, but my current mentor and I entered the lab at the same time last year and went through training together- little did I know back then that I would be working under him!

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?
This research has given me a head start on the material covered in a few of my science and psychology classes, especially BIOL302 (Genetics) and PSYC335 (Physiological psychology).

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
My best advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself because you never know where it will take you! And don’t hesitate to ask your mentor or peers if you have any questions- they were in your shoes at some point in their lives so keep that in mind and make the very best of your experience!

Read her abstract here...

Program Description: Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research. The NIH consists of the 240-bed Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center and more than 1200 laboratories/research projects located on the main campus in Bethesda, MD and the surrounding area as well as in Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; and Detroit, MI.  NOTE: the number of positions in Hamilton, Framingham, and Detroit is limited.

Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June. The NIH Institutes and the Office of Intramural Training & Education sponsor a wide range of summer activities including lectures featuring distinguished NIH investigators, career/professional development workshops, and Summer Poster Day.

Encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in science is a national priority, and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is committed to meeting this goal in its recruitment and admissions practices.

Several enrichment programs are offered to help historically underrepresented local high school, resident and non-resident college level students jump-start their exposure and develop a broad perspective about the array of careers available within biomedical research, medicine and allied health. Our hope is that this early exposure will ultimately lead to an increase in the number of graduates having diverse perspectives in medical education.

The C2B2/NSF REU program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in meaningful research alongside faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students at each of our four partnering institutions. Students will be conducting research in one of C2B2's six thrust areas at either the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado school of Mines in Golden, or the national Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.

Along with research duties, all students participate in educational seminars, C2B2 institution site visits, industry site visits, planned social activities, and cultural experiences.

Students will learn how researchers of varying disciplines at all four sites collaborate to solve biofuel and biorefining challenges. This program provides the students a rich and diverse ten week experience within the beautiful backdrop of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Students interested in applying to the C2B2/NSF REU should thoroughly research C2B2's Research Thrusts in order to gain an understanding of the type of research C2B2 performs. Accepted REU students will be matched to projects based on their thrust preference indicated in the online application.