Samantha Thompson, a senior majoring in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, writes about her experiences in the program and at UAB.
My senior year of high school I struggled between choosing to pursue a career in graphic design or my newer interest, neuroscience. I had always loved science and excelled at it, but as most people, a close family member of mine developed early onset dementia that inspired me to add to the knowledge of the disease, so we could find treatments. I was worried if I pursued a job in the field of science I would never get to create or enjoy art again. I was very mistaken because my experience in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program has allowed me to merge my interest in art and science into one. I remember walking into my interview and the walls of the Neurosuite were lined with Dr. David Sweatt's paintings that partially felt like a universal sign that I would be able to pursue both passions as a part of this program. And now I get the opportunity to experience the most astonishing type of art, biological nature, by labeling neuron structures in immunofluorescence that still puts my inner Da Vinci on cloud nine.
Joining my research lab, which is to this day one of the greatest, life-changing opportunities I have had, was actually a result from complete failure. With little preparation in high school for college life, my freshman year was mainly spent learning how little I knew about studying and time management. I was amazed at friends of mine in the program already joining research labs on top of what seemed like endless studying at the time. I thought I would be better off applying to a prestigious college's summer research program (with no research experience doesn't make sense now in hindsight) so I could learn the ropes of research while I was out of classes. I asked the program director at the time, Dr. McFarland, to write me a letter of rec and he noted I had no experience in research and who was my top choice lab to work with. Long story short, I got rejected from the program but had an interview with Dr. Erik Roberson on Monday after talking to Dr. McFarland.
The project I was given to work on in Dr. Roberson's lab was a drug discovery project for Alzheimer's disease that was incredibly intriguing but daunting at the same time. I was the only undergraduate working on the project with a Post-doc in the lab and rarely saw other undergrads in the lab that made me constantly compare myself and strive to be like graduate level students or higher. It took us months to get our assays to use for screening compounds to be reproducible and reliable that made me question my technique somedays. Once everything was working beautifully I realized how lucky I was to start learning early on in my career as a scientist that you will fail constantly, and imposter syndrome is a very real thing. And neither of these things determined my success as a scientist: only my continuous drive forward through the failures would determine where I could end up.
Something I did not expect to gain from being a part of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program was an enthusiasm to give back to fellow students in the program. Freshman year I really struggled with staying on top of coursework and utilized the free tutoring programs offered through UAB. When the Undergraduate Neuroscience Society needed a new Mentor & Tutor Coordinator I applied knowing if I got the position I knew how important these services are to a student's academic (and mental) health. Being an officer through UNS has opened my eyes to how much I enjoyed helping others reach their goals and lending a hand when in need. It definitely has impacted my future career goals to be a mentor to young scientist someway, whether it be in the laboratory or classroom (or a wannabe Dr. Gavin).
It is crazy to think my time as a UNP student is almost over, but I hope I have adequately expressed to all mentors, professors, and younger students that care to listen just how supportive this program has been in helping me achieve my goals for the next step. I gained the opportunity this past summer to be a part of the first UAB-Genentech Summer Research Scholars Program that confirmed how ready I am to pursue research as a full-time career. Starting next fall, I plan to start my graduate degree studies at Baylor College of Medicine as a part of their Neuroscience Program. Without a doubt I know that who I was coming into college would never have expected where I am ending up and I give all the credit to the mentors I have found to push me out of my comfort zone every step of the way. No matter where I end up I will always be ever faithful and ever loyally (and ever cheesily) a UNP alumni that found my future here at UAB.
