College of Science & Engineering: Biology Department: Jan Esker

A couple years ago one of my mentors told me, “Variety is the spice of life.” I could not agree with her more and I know that the variety of experiences offered by the Department of Biology is the reason I have enjoyed my college education as much as I have.

On any given school day, who knows where you will find me within the Pott College of Science and Engineering?

I may be engrossed in a lecture.
Dr. Barnett’s virology lectures were my favorites.

I may be chatting with professors, fellow students, or the secretary in the Biology Department. Students cycle through the office all day keeping the department lively and a good place to spend an hour-long break between classes. The professors are always around to offer support, to keep the students in line and, of course, to answer questions.

I may even be constructing recombinant DNA with Dr. Shaw in the Molecular Biology lab as part of my independent research project. Despite what you may think, research is not all white coats and bench work. At USI it is also the best way to get to know a professor one-on-one and to gain exposure to the entire science community. Through my research I have attended conferences at the local, state, and national level. Just recently I competed against scientists from across the nation and around the world in an undergraduate poster competition at a conference in San Francisco , CA.

Next year I will be moving to Bethesda, MD, to complete a one-year research fellowship in the National Institutes of Health’s Laboratory of Infectious Diseases. While I search for a vaccine for parainfluenza virus, I will be applying to medical school in hopes of one day becoming a physician and public health scientist.

It would be a lie to say that USI is right for everyone, (no school is right for everyone), but if you are looking to spice up your undergraduate science education, the variety offered by USI might be right for you.

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