BodyText3
Why is this project important to you?
By working on the creation of biology labs, this research has given me the opportunity to have an impact on the learning of future students, whose place I was in less than a year ago. Freshman science majors will be the group of students performing these labs. In addition, this summer has given me the chance to research creating clean-burning and renewable biofuel,which can hopefully provoke students to think about how using biofuels could impact their lives.
How has this project impacted you both personally and professionally?
Researching scientific questions has greatly improved my ability to problem solve. This summer has been a humbling experience because I have seen the work that preceptors and professors do to create labs, design studio activities, and augment the overall learning experience of students. Their efforts and my time in the laboratory have taught me valuable research and teaching techniques along with new ways of learning that will be beneficial when I attend medical school and become a medical professional.
How has the interdisciplinary nature of the work influenced the project?
Although my project is focused on the creation of biology labs, the concepts it introduces (e.g.enzymes, metabolism, energy conversion) are studied by chemists. Hence my goal is to design them to make connections to a Chemistry lab. Developing these labs demonstrates an interdisciplinary effort, because I receive feedback at weekly meetings from faculty members in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.