I graduated from Southern in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and in 2023 with a M.S. in Biology. I am currently a Research Associate at Kolm Therapeutics.

There are a few important factors that have helped me get to where I am today. Getting involved in research and doing summer internships are major ones. These two experiences allowed me to get a taste of both academic and industry-based research, while also massively improving my skillset as a scientist. These experiences were invaluable, and I definitely would not have my current position without them!

I have always been drawn to biology as a subject, but experiencing the research process firsthand during my time at Southern solidified my goal to pursue life sciences as a career. Being able to ask questions and do hands-on work to directly answer these questions is an awesome feeling and is something I look forward to doing every day!

I would tell college students who are pursuing STEM to make as many connections as possible and take advantage of on-campus networking resources. The connections I made through the Innovation Hub and through internships that the office helped me land have been invaluable to me and are the reason I am where I am today. Also, I would say don’t be afraid to approach professors with interest in their research. Even if it is just a conversation that doesn’t result in a research position, you can still learn so much about the research process and the huge variety of research there is, especially just here at Southern!

My biggest challenge was going through COVID as a biology major. I was lacking in lab experience and felt behind when classes returned on-campus and I was already a junior. To overcome this, I reached out to my advisor and got connected with the Innovation Hub. These resources helped guide me to landing both a research position and a summer internship while also helping me gain self-confidence to go after other opportunities independently.

Never stop asking questions, it’s the most important part of science!