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- Info
2011 Alumni Journals
Peter Nash
| Laura Powell | Roxanne Smoker
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 ~Fayeza
Aliou, Lehman College, CUNY~
This summer has been never-ending but a career-steering
opportunity for me. I got to be a part of the MAP program which
sponsored my trip to the ENDO 2011 meeting: interesting lectures and
career expos alongside inspiring scientists and mentors. I didn't do
much to be frank but it was a lot of fun. Charlottesville is small and
polite (people), with lots of good food :-) I had a great mentor (Ira
Schulman), who loves to teach and I feel really lucky as everyone in my
lab was very friendly and always ready to help. They made my lab
experience the best one and I could not be more grateful. And
finally, a huge thank you to SRIP.
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 ~Uriah Astorga, University of Texas
at El Paso~
This summer was fantastic. I had a great group of
lab partners who I will always consider mentors and friends. They
supported me in every way and taught me my strengths and weaknesses.
This internship not only opened up many doors for me, but made me see
that I want to pursue a graduate degree.
Everyone always asks what was the best part of it all and my answer is
always, " I found my career path and it's so exciting to know that I've
made a huge decision to pursue the next big step in my life."
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 ~Emily C.
Kelly Castro, University of Puerto Rico,
Mayagüez~
First of all it was the
best summer of life with the greatest experiences. I worked in the
Pharmacology department in Dr. Leitinger's lab. Studying Pharmacology
for grad school has been in my mind for years so I think this was the
best place and opportunity to get a good idea what it is really about
and to reassure myself that I really wanted to do that. I got the
chance to learn new techniques and expand my knowledge in this field.
In terms of Charlottesville, it is really good place to be; you will
not run out of things to do. It's a beautiful, historic town were
you learn a lot and make new friends.
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 ~Ashley Davis, Baylor
University~
When I came to UVA this summer, I wasn’t expecting
to fall in love with science the way that I did. From the first week
on, I knew that I didn’t want this to be the last time that I did
research. I had no experience in a lab, and few relevant advanced
classes—I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Everyone in my lab was
so wonderful, receptive and kind, and they really helped make the
experience everything that it could be. Dr. Nataro’s lab is like a
little family, and I really feel like they adopted me this
summer. I love each and every one of them.
As the summer went on, I began to realize that all the reasons I
wanted to become a physician were the reasons that people become
physician scientists, and that I wouldn’t be able to achieve my goals
without pursuing MD/PhD training. As I said before, I also really
fell in love with research, and by the end of the summer, I was
thinking like a scientist. When I came this summer, I was planning on
going to medical school, and maybe getting a masters in Bioethics.
Research has won a special place in my heart though—I’ve changed all of
my plans, and am applying to MD/PhD programs for next year. Without the
SRIP experience, I wouldn’t have realized that research was what I
really wanted to do until much later in life—maybe I wouldn’t have
discovered it at all. I also made a lot of wonderful friends in
the program—people I really hope I keep in touch with. I can safely say
that this has been one of the best summers in my undergraduate
experience.
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~Alya Elsayed-Ali,
University of North Carolina~
SRIP is a golden opportunity to conduct research
and to gain experience in a laboratory. I learned so much from
working in the Cardiovascular Research Center, and gained insight that
I would not have otherwise. It was truly wonderful getting to
know my fellow SRIP participants. This program has sparked my
interest in pursuing knowledge and research in my future career.
During these ten weeks, I learned about a variety of scientific
fields from UVA faculty members. I witnessed how these fields
connect through my research and through the lecture series. I
fully recommend SRIP to anyone driven towards scientific discovery.
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 ~Jacqueline Lamar, Claflin
University~
As an SRIP intern at the University of Virginia, I
was constantly challenged to put my mind on a higher intellectual
level! It was expected of me to work hard, focus, and most importantly,
learn what I was doing in the lab. After connecting with my peers,
other professors, and my mentor I feel more confident than ever to
pursue my goals. This internship not only gave me the opportunity to
network, learn new laboratory techniques (or perfect the techniques
already known), but to build upon myself to become a better thinker,
communicator, and researcher. I love how SRIP emphasizes a sense of
family. It puts to ease any feelings of anxiety or frustration when you
realize that you're not alone. There were a variety people who had
aspirations to become medical doctors, researchers, or both! I'm going
to end my summer with a whole new mind and attitude! Overall, I am
honored to be awarded the opportunity to be an SRIP scholar. What I
learned from this experience will be sweetly remembered as I carry it
with me to continue the journey towards higher learning.
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~Segni Ligaba, University of
Virginia~
When I applied to SRIP, my main goal was to see if
research was interesting and exciting. By the end of the program,
I was able to say research was both interesting and exciting and that I
seriously consider research as part of my future career. I had a
great mentor who taught me tons of research techniques and inspired me
to continue conducting independent research. I recommend SRIP to
anyone who wants to find out what research and research labs are like.
You will not regret applying to this amazing program!
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 ~Kaitlyn Marks, The
University of Notre Dame~
My SRIP experience was
better than I ever could have imagined! I had the opportunity to
completely immerse myself in a lab which allowed me to see what
research is like from start to finish as well as everything in between.
I learned new techniques and skills as the result of a wonderful mentor
who constantly encouraged me to try new things. I was able to feel the
excitement of when things worked and the desire to try again when they
failed. In ten weeks, I was able to see a side of science I have not
seen before and I will be forever grateful for that. Additionally, I
was able live and become friends with the other SRIP participants with
whom I have formed friendships that will last long after SRIP has
ended. I would enthusiastically recommend the SRIP program to anyone
who is considering a future in either medicine or research. It will
challenge you in ways you never imagined but will provide you with the
opportunity to see science in action.
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 ~Matthew McCauley, Johns Hopkins
University~
Experience: My experiences here were great.
Charlottesville is a nice little town (I'm used to big cities, but I
adjusted fairly quickly; good restaurants here, too). SRIP is perfect
for those who are unsure of their future PhD endeavors: if you are
uncertain coming in, you will no longer be when you leave. Be assured
that by the end of the summer, you will either 1) wholeheartedly love
scientific research, or 2) decide that science is not for you. But no
matter what you choose to do in graduate school, SRIP will give you an
"edge" (experientially and academically speaking) on your
competitors.
Exposure to ideas: Far too many to completely list. molecular
physiology, genetics, biophysics, biochemistry, pharmacology,
etc. Aside from scientific talks, we listened to several lectures
on the reality of graduate school (got tons of advice too!!).
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 ~Alan Molina, University of Virginia~
The most valuable insight I gained from my experience was an
insight into the common motivation shared by the scientists with which
I interacted. I grasped the excitement for the discovery and
application of new knowledge which underlies all biomedical research. I
know now that I too share this motivation and am capable of acting on
it by conducting research of my own. My entire experience was
supplemented by the relationships I formed with the other interns in
the program. These relationships will undoubtedly last long into the
future.
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 ~Kimberley Monks, University of Southern
California~
I learned so much about
scientific thought and experimental methods. It was great to apply the
knowledge that I have gained in class to real problems and projects. I
was so excited the first time I produced actual results for a project!
I also met great people who made me feel at home in Charlottesville. My
fellow SRIP students and I explored the city together, and there are so
many great things to do here. My lab had such a collaborative and
helpful atmosphere that I felt like I learned something new every day.
I definitely feel more informed about my future career options after
participating in SRIP. I discovered a new love for research and
am excited to continue with it in the future.
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 ~Peter James Nash, UMASS, Amherst~
I found the Summer
Research Internship Program to be an educational and enriching
experience. The twice weekly lectures were very informative and gave me
new insights into a variety of research fields. Conducting biomedical
research in the lab allowed me to become more proficient at many lab
techniques, helped me better understand and apply the scientific
method, and strengthened an interest in 'doing science.' I also greatly
enjoyed meeting many new people and spending countless hours with them
outside of the lab.
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 ~Laura Powell,
University of Delaware~
Because I had no
research experience prior to the SRIP program at UVA, I didn’t quite
know what to expect going into this summer. But I quickly realized that
I had made a good decision in deciding to come to UVA, for over the
summer I gained a vast amount of knowledge about the daily life of a
researcher, and learned many new lab techniques with much guidance from
my wonderful mentor and very helpful lab technicians. I also had the
chance to sharpen my presentation skills, and learned how to put
together a poster for the first time. Twice a week seminars on a broad
range of topics from personalized genomics to protein chemistry exposed
me to a variety of areas in which I previously had limited knowledge.
Even though graduate school is still a few years away for me, I was
able to benefit from GRE practice sessions, and talking to current grad
students as well as people in my lab replaced the rather vague idea in
my mind of what grad school is like with a much more definite picture.
Beyond the academic and lab work, however, I really enjoyed getting to
know the other students, and had fun participating in weekend
activities, such as hiking in Shenandoah National Park and visiting
Monticello. Charlottesville and the surrounding area offer much in the
way of restaurants and attractions, and there is always something to
do. Overall, I would highly recommend this program to prospective
students who are considering a career in research as an invaluable way
to discover if such a pursuit would be a good fit for them.
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 ~Roxanne Smoker, Concord
College~
I had a great time at
SRIP this summer. My mentor and labmates were amazing and I
developed friendships that will last a lifetime. While my project
presented many frustrations, I still enjoyed the experience and learned
a lot, and had fun in the process. UVA is a great school set in a
wonderful town with lots to do and outstanding food. I would defiantly
recommend this program, but don't forget to have some fun while your
here too!!
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