Thank you so much for allowing me to participate in research here
at UC Davis through the President's Undergraduate Fellowship. This has
taught me not only many skills in the laboratory, but also about the invaluable
process of conducting research. I have gained valuable skills in the processes
of preparing grant proposals, designing experiments, optimizing techniques,
and animal handling. This experiment has led me to decide to pursue research
and apply to graduate schools int he fields of microbiology and immunology.
It has provided me invaluable experience that I believe has better prepared
me for graduate school. Thank you so much for opportunity to conduct research
as an undergraduate. The President's Undergraduate Fellowship truly provided
a golden opportunity for me.
When I changed my major to design, I did so with great joy because
I was committing to learning about a field that I love working in. I also
did so with great apprehension because I knew that it would be a hard path
to actualize in a world where science and technology are considered far
more important than arts and crafts. However, I stuck with my decision because
I believe that if I am doing what I love, and I believe in what I am doing,
people will see that and appreciate it, and things will work out. Receiving
my PUF grant taught me one of the most important lessons in catualizing
this dream. In order for people to know that I am doing what I love and
that I believe in what I am doing, I have to tell them, and in order for
people to see, appreciate, and support what I am doing, I have to ask for
help. I know now that there are many organizations in the world that believe
in the arts and in supporting creativity. I know that they will be willing
to support my creative endeavors, but that I have to be the one to take
the first step in asking for their support. The PUF grant I received was
my first affirmation that I've got what it takes to earn the support of
others. I've learned since graduating that the way things work "out
here" are a little different than the way they work within the University.
However, with my experience of writing my first grant proposal, receiving
support and funding for an original project, and going through the process
of creating "Morphine Cherry," I know that the next time around,
I'll have the confidence needed for the belief that it can and will happen
again.
Along with expanding my creativity and imagination in a new direction,
this research also gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about the techniques
and materials one could use to build handbags, costume pieces, and art pieces.
many of the materials I explored with were those I have not gotten to use
in previous design work. I plan to continue to think about the themes I
have explored for this project. The skills I gained through working with
the President's Undergraduate Fellowship research grant has allowed me to
break down personal creative boundaries. I feel that I have been armed with
the skills to freely create from my personal visions.
First, the obvious: this project allowed me to become familiar
with a variety of scientific techniques widely utilized in biological research.
Overall, I was privy to many of the aspects involved in the biological research
process, from setting up a protocol and budget, executing the experiments,
and finally analyzing the results. However, this experience also reinforced
the idea that it is important to understand the rationale behind each step
of an experiments. First so that you know exactly what you are doing and
why so you can make informed inferences about your results. Secondly, so
you can prevent mistakes due to misunderstandings of the protocol, mistakes
which waste time and money.
Pursuing a Senior Honors Thesis research project and applying for
(and receiving) a President's Undergraduate Fellowship grant has been the
pinnacle of my undergraduate educational career. Not only have I gained
an incredible amount of research experience from the project itself, but
I also learned how to write a grant proposal and how to budget a project.
I also now have a grant history, which usually impresses most graduate schools.
As a result of my research project, I have learned a great deal about scientific
research, geomorphology, teamwork, organization, collaboration, and planning.
I have learned how to formulate appropriate hypotheses necessary for answering
research questions, and I have learned how to execute a research project
from start to finish. Floodplain geomorphology is a much more familiar topic
for me know that I have begun a project focused on this type of work, and
I have become familiar with myriad field and laboratory methods that are
utilized by geomorphologists. (In fact, a professor that works in a graduate
program that I am interested in told me in an e-mail message that I had
more field work experience than he did!) I have also learned how to organize
a research project without the constant assistance of a supervising professor,
and I have learned how to utilize various resources around campus (expertise
of professors and researchers, field and lab equipment, etc.). As a result
of the PUF grant, I was able to gain grant writing experience and I was
able to experience the fiscal responsibilities involved with having a grant
to fund research. Last, but not least, the grant provided me with opportunities
that would not have been possible without the financial assistance: the
grant provided funding that allowed for the use of a wider variety of field
and lab equipment, and allowed more overall financial flexibility within
the framework of the project. The cost of research materials and transportation
has not been an issue since the project began, and allowed for the project
to run more efficiently since I was not required to constantly ask my sponsoring
professor for financial support. The PUF grant has made this Senior Honors
Thesis an enjoyable experience.
Student was asked to return her keys to the lab and has been unable
to get her sponsoring professor to return phone calls or notes. Student
was therefore unable to complete the project.
I feel lucky to have been able to work on such an interesting project
of which I feel so passionately about. The experience has gone full-circle.
My faculty sponsor first gave me the idea and the motivation for this project.
Later I was then given the confidence and the means to proceed with my project
by the President's Undergraduate Fellowship Award. Following the completion
of my project, I was given the arena to present my findings at the Undergraduate
Research Conference at UC Davis this spring. Later, after so many countless
hours of work on this project, my determination and confidence were again
revived upon receiving the award for Outstanding Female Geologist by the
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Association for Women Geoscientists.
This gave me the kick I needed to complete the project and write the thesis.
The joy in completing this research project and turning in my thesis more
than makes up for all of the hard work. I have gained so much from this
experience.
I have learned as much from the process of writing an undergraduate
thesis as I have from my particular findings. The experience has been extremely
rewarding. I began the project wondering how in the world I would be able
to write a paper on a topic and in a field in which no professor in the
History Department knew much about. I learned how much time is needed in
each stage of the project, and I new feel confident about going on to do
graduate research next year. Moreover, I learned how to have to express
my ideas orally (as I presented to my fellow seminarians and also at the
Undergraduate Research Conference) and concisely (when someone asked me
to sum up my entire project in a minute). The Undergraduate Research Conference
helped me to reevaluate what I had done and try to rework it to fit an oral
format and an audience that would not necessarily know anything about my
subject. Because the conference was handled as a formal event, I now feel
prepared to write an abstract, and give a presentation in other academic
settings in the future. Overall, I am very happy with the thesis I have
produced, and I plant to publish it sometime in the future if possible.
The publishers of the UC Davis journal Explorations have already offered
me the chance to publish it there. Furthermore, I ended up receiving Highest
Honors from the History Department for my thesis, as well as the Betty T.
Dobbs Prize for the best thesis in the department. I continue to be extremely
interested in my topic, and, even though I have turned in my thesis, I plant
to continue to look through more journals, which were not available in the
U.S. during my summer in Spain. I am very thankful for the PUF fellowship
support that I received. Without it, I am not sure I would have ever found
such fascinating resources or advanced so much in my thinking about my topic.
I thank TRC and the PUF for granting me the opportunity to perform
research. It was a tremendous learning experience that I will cherish forever.
This research has allowed me to contribute something to science, which may
lead to a better understanding of nature. This research has opened new doors
of opportunity for me that I may not have otherwise known. I will be presenting
my findings this December in San Francisco to hundreds of fellow scientists.
I am very excited at the prospect of others viewing my work as a positive
science contribution. It would not have happened without the PUF grant I
received. I thank you very much.
My experience interviewing members and leaders of the Seminole
Tribe is one I will never forget. Specifically, my interview with tribal
attorney Jim Shore was a defining moment in my life.Sitting there, discussing
the Seminole tribe's battles, which have already led to two important Supreme
Court decisions, I could not help but marvel at what Mr. Shore had accomplished.
I felt a resurgence in my idealism and faith. This faith is apparent in
my writing as well as my work so far in law school.
Participation in this research project has been an invigorating
experience. Instead of working as only a student assistant, I became a colleague
generating new knowledge by tapping into new insights and information. The
research findings provided me with a more accurate framework for understanding
non-traditional students' borderlands experiences. Thus, I was able to challenge
my own thinking about the borderlands. I have developed invaluable skills
as well. Most importantly this experience provided me entree to delving
more deeply into my personal experience and understanding them through a
new lens -- the borderlands. I was able to connect with the students who
confirmed their experiences and in a way came to terms with my own experience
being a minority at the university.
Professor has reported that the student never showed up in the
lab. The funds have not been touched. A request has been made of the department
to allow us to take the funds back.
Support of the PUF program has been a key element in his success.
I anticipate that his work will lead to a possible publication in a peer-reviewed
journal. A fantastic experience for all!
The benefit of the project were man and enjoyable. I had the opportunity
to design, build, and test a new cell. More importantly, I had a chance
to examine data that no one else had seen or expected, and to discuss the
probably causes with my professor as we both worked towards an understanding
of the new information. This new information, from a modification she hadn't
planned on making, has spurred her interest. My professor plans to continue
investigation after I go on to graduate school. I have no doubt that future
undergraduates working in her lab will have opportunities to investigate
these new questions, and other questions they raise. In the time I have
remaining at Davis, I am taking the next steps in the experiment by building
a new cell to investigate why the previous cell did not give the results
that we were investigating. Thank you again for the award. Although the
questions originally proposed is still open, research would be boring if
you only found what you looked for.
The President's Undergraduate Fellowship had added a great learning
experience to my education at UC Davis. It is a privilege and an opportunity
for me to get involved in an extensive research as an undergraduate. It
is valuable not only for my education but also taught me skills that are
important in life. Through PUF, I realized how research involves a lot of
hard work and challenges. I learned that a great commitment, perseverance
ad patience are the essences of a successful researcher. although my research
took longer than I had originally anticipated, I found that hard work and
perseverance paid off in the end. Trial and error is one essential component
of research and through failures and mistakes, I learned to foresee problems
and develop better plans to improve my research experiment. I developed
networking skill and taking initiative as I had the opportunity to work
with post-doctorates and graduate students who had expertise in the research
field of my interest. Amy has learned quite a lot regarding the commitment
that must be made in order to complete a research project. She met several
obstacles during the course of her project but she persevered. In fact,
her PUF project was one method that I included in a recently accepted manuscript.
I thank the PUF committee for supporting Amy to work in my laboratory. I
believe she learned a great deal about vascular biology, assay procedures,
statistical methods, and potential atherosclerotic risk factors. More importantly,
she now has some experience with the world of research and can make a more
informed career choice.
The PUF award gave me an opportunity to expand my laboratory skills,
particularly in the area of molecular biology. More importantly the PUF
award provided me an opportunity to experience true research. My responsibilities
went beyond those of even undergraduate work study students in that I controlled
my own project. I gained experience in problem solving, troubleshooting,
decision making, and record keeping. Personally planning each step in the
project generated both a sense of importance and pride in the project. I
am continuing the project as a post-graduate researcher and will present
my data at the 43rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference in 2002 at San
Diego, CA.
This project taught me a lot about how to proceed in a scientific
study. Budgeting the project was extremely difficult, however very valuable.
Without applying for this project, I do not think the scope of the project
would have ended up being as well defined as it was. This project also taught
me about the role of a faculty advisor. My advisor was always supportive,
at time too much so, but always pointed me in the right direction, but allowed
me to develop my own conclusions about the site. I believe that this project
was my best accomplishment in my college career, and has given me the necessary
tools I will use when designing and implementing my dissertation project.
This PUF project started out as a simple experiment, including
an ELISA assay which I have done countless times before. To my surprise,
it did not turn out to be that elementary. This project brought up challenges
that I never would have expected. The assay became very challenging in terms
of the treatment of the serum used before the assay itself was run. It took
two quarters just to iron out these problems. This allowed for me to become
very good at problem solving and to gain a better understanding of the steps
involved with solving a biological question. One of the most valuable parts
of this fellowship was not the experiment, but the process of applying for
the grant. This gave me a chance to learn how to write a grant and apply
for a research program. This above all is what I valued most in my experience
with the PUF.
Through this project I have learned a skill that does not involve
the manipulation of DNA or experimenting with cell activities. It is the
skill of patience and persistence. I was able to jump back on my feet after
each reaction failed and keep my hopes high that the next reaction would
work. The amount of satisfaction and self-confidence I gained after the
PCR reaction finally worked is indescribable. This project has truly taught
me the success of failure and the importance of patience and persistence.
I would like to thank the President's Undergraduate Fellowship for making
this experience possible.
To have the opportunity to work on a project with the support of
mentors and the President's Undergraduate Fellowship has been a wonderful
experience. Putting the time and commitment in the project has given me
a taste of what it is like to be a researcher - from applying for funding,
planning the project and experiments, using all available resources, and
working with others. Besides attaining invaluable lab techniques such as
cloning, protein and DNA assays, and electrophoresis--to name a few--equally
important I have learned and developed social and communicating skills that
I think will be valuable to me in the working world. This experience has
showed me the impact of what research is today, and the hopes of propelling
forward any science or body of knowledge through research.
Doing this project with the assistance of the PUF fellowship taught
me many things. First of all I have learned the basics on how to get a fellowship
and what is expected of one when you do receive it. The skills that I have
learned in Prof. Stewart's lab will help me the rest of my life. I have
learned countless techniques and procedures in microbiology, molecular biology,
and bio-informatics. I will continue this project until I leave UC Davis
and I would not have been so successful without the assistance of the PUF
fellowship.
I am grateful to the PUF program for giving me the opportunity
to spend the summer doing something that enriched my educational experience.
I was able to attend the Horticultural conference in the Sacramento Convention
Center and give a speech on my subject that I won first prize in out to
the National Student Competition. The PUF program is invaluable and was
very helpful to not only my education but the sponsoring labs education
on the subject as well. It is a great program and should be continued for
many years.
I am now able to confidently pursue library research, personal
interviews, and museum collection research. The experience desire of writing
a successful research grant and pursuing my research plan have given me
a greater confidence in my abilities and has strengthened my desire to continue
towards my academic goals.
Neggy has benefited enormously from this project. She has learned
numerous valuable laboratory skills including: sterile techniques, tissue
culture, propidium iodide staining, and immunohistochemistry. Most importantly,
she has learned how to think critically about experiments and how to troubleshoot
and solve problems. She has learned a lot about experimental design and
analysis. She now has a realistic perspective of the time and energy required
to conduct a scientific experiment.
Student declined PUF after accepting a job elsewhere.
To date, the project funded by this PUF Grant has afforded me a
wealth of opportunity and a variety of challenges. The experimental design
of this project has received constant input and constructive criticism from
many investigators. This interaction has further sharpened my ability to
think critically and made me more able to defend my scientific interpretation.
The experiments themselves have provided me with a great insight into neurobiology
as their proper execution requires a profound understanding of the circuits
and electrophysiology involved with the tissue I have been working with.
I intend to present the results of this set of experiments at the national
meeting Experimental Biology in New Orleans this April. This experience
will surely provide me further understanding of academic science and give
me the opportunity to speak with other scientists in the forefront of biological
investigation today. Finally, I have been able to pass on the knowledge
I have gained in learning the tricks of the electrophysiological trade to
the other undergraduates in my lab.
Overall, I am so pleased with this project that I can hardly express
it. Not only do I have a unique project to include in my growing portfolio,
but I also have gained quite a lot of valuable experience in creating and
coordinating a museum exhibition. And most importantly, I would like to
give my thanks many times over for the generous funding I received that
allowed me to take a dream of mine and see it made into reality.
Perhaps the largest lesson I have learned doing this project is,
that you can't be afraid to approach people with both your questions and
needs. It was only by asking many professors, most of whom I did not know,
that I found available oven and work space. The beauty of being at a university
is that there are so many resources available if you are just willing to
do the footwork. I have also been able to familiarize myself with professional
graphing and statistics software. This project has allowed me to take a
first hand look at research at every level: researching a question, writing
the proposal, collecting data, making sense of the data, and writing up
the results. I am very grateful to the selection committee at the PUF Grant
for giving me this opportunity. This has been the most rewarding academic
endeavor of my college career.
Project cancelled due to personal circumstances.
The greatest thing that this experience has given me was the intimate
knowledge of research and all the difficulties involved in it. I learned
that research is very different than a laboratory based class where all
the experiments have been done before and proven to work. In research nothing
is proven until you prove and that can be a very laborious process. I feel
this experience has been invaluable for my future in research.
The past two quarters has prepared me for graduate school more
than I had initially expected. I learned that researching includes many
responsibilities that I did not realize. One example is the need to budget
my time and money. By working on a budget, I learned to prioritize my expenses
and spend more efficiently. I realized through this experience that the
research does not always go according to the plan. Because science includes
much troubleshooting, I have learned how to solve experimental problems
(i.e. collection efficiency). I have attended several seminars and research
presentations and have given presentations. Research has no meaning unless
it can be presented to others in a clear and concise manner. I am learning
to present my research, so that others may understand to take an interest.
The Undergraduate Research Conference gave me the opportunity to present
this research and learn how to create a research poster. I have learned
a great deal of information about the research that I am performing, and
I am able to analyze the data more in depth. Critical thinking is, in my
opinion, the most important skill that a researcher must use. Through research,
I have developed this skill, which will be my greatest asset as I continue
researching in graduate school.
The project was a valuable learning experience. Most of all, it
has demonstrated to me how the scientific process actually works in reality.
During the project, only one set of transformed plants was completed. The
process of cloning, crossing plants, transforming the plants, staining them,
and analyzing the results is extremely time consuming. On paper, the experiment
only consists of analyzing the expression of conserved CRC promoter domains.
However, there is a lot of work behind that simple statement. Also, this
single experiment was only a glimpse of the overall project. Although its
results may seem basic and expected, it was necessary to perform the experiment
to see if the expectations were correct. I learned that science is a very
slow, committed and laboring effort, but that it also has many rewards.
The pursuit of independent research has been the most enriching
aspect of my undergraduate studies at UC Davis. Although learning about
the scientific method from textbooks and in classroom lectures has been
a vital educational tool, no where is the scientific method more vividly
illustrated than through its practical application in an independent project.
Taking on an independent project has been a true test of commitment because
there are no set due dates for various assignments as in general lecture
classes. I was entirely responsible for planning my own schedule and completing
experiments in a timely manner. My schedule had to be disciplined yet flexible
enough to allow for minor adjustments as needed. In addition to providing
financial support, the President's Undergraduate Fellowship played a critical
role in the overall learning experience. I gained exposure to writing grant
proposals and creating a budget. Closer examination of the cost of materials
opened my eyes to the economic aspects of research. As a result, I have
become more cost-conscious with respect to the number of dollars that is
spent on reagents and equipment for various experiments. The completion
of a senior thesis project has been a rewarding experience because I have
met the challenge of attaining a goal that is above and beyond what is expected
of undergraduates.
The research experience in Dr. Burgess's lab has been extremely
enriching. I have developed many new ways of thinking, approaching problems,
and lab techniques that cannot be truly learned or taught by any book or
class. The joy and disappointment, the triumphs and failures have been essential
components of research work in reality. Often it may not be the successes
that mark an outstanding scientist but more often the ability to solve problems
and to derive future directions or modifications. I have gained an early
and invaluable insight into the experience of being a graduate student,
which will definitely be advantageous as I plan to pursue graduate studies.
Being a part of the lab has been a wonderful experience, I have learned
how a research lab in academia generally works and even more during lab
meetings from the sharing of research progress and discussions. I have gained
many invaluable group work, presentations, and discussion skills while working
with my advisor, graduate mentor, and labmates. I feel very fortunate to
have this opportunity to work with Dr. Burgess and her wonderful lab, and
that the President's Undergraduate Fellowship had supported my work.
this project helped me gain in-depth knowledge of what it is like
to conduct research. In the process of writing the proposal, I learned how
to logically organize my thoughts into an experiment worth conducting. In
the data acquisition phase, I learned much about patience and perseverance
in dealing with the many problems and pitfalls that came up. I learned that
no experiment is perfect and that the unexpected should be expected. I also
learned how to deal with unexpected problems that arose and realized that
a lot of creativity is involved in research. In the analysis phase of this
project, I learned how to critically interpret my results and to relate
them to the goals of my project. Overall, this project has really helped
me realize that I enjoy conducting research and has led me to pursue and
MD/PhD at UC Davis this coming fall.
Through the process of conducting this study I learned a great
deal. Among the most noteworthy aspects of learning I found that this project
gave me an opportunity to synthesize my growth as a student here at UC Davis.
This project taught me how to budget my time, how to communicate more clearly
and effectively, and how to negotiate data through research. Before I started
this project, I did not know what "research" was. I have gained
a unique perspective on how research is treated and conducted in the academic
world, and I have discovered that true research may never actually be "finished." This
understanding has helped me to accept the fate of my own work and to look
forward to taking the project to the next level of completion in the future.
I would like to thank everyone in the TRC who have contributed to making
this effort possible. The funding allotted to this project has been put
to good use, and I feel the outcome will reimburse the investment many times.
over.
When I started this project, I had very limited lab experience.
Essentially, I had to learn everything from scratch. this project allowed
me to develop many new skills, ranging from the use of a confocal microscope
to tissue handling and immunohistochemical techniques. As I have seen it
is impossible to gain a comprehensive understanding of a technology by reading
about it — one has to actually use it. I participated in lab meetings
and also presented my research at the 2002 Undergraduate Research Conference;
something I never would have done if my mentor hadn't pushed me to.
Developing this project has required me to think differently. I
have learned how to focus on more than one variable in the situation being
studied and the biological significance of each variable. The trouble-shooting
and problem solving used to overcome the problems encountered, was the greatest
experience thus far. this taught me the importance of the quality of the
protocol and how to critically think about situations and conditions. The
literature review exposed me to areas of orthopedic surgery and radiographic
evaluations. This is particularly beneficial as I plan a future career in
orthopedic research.
Project cancelled 6/3/2002. Student had unforeseen circumstances
that changed her summer plans.
After eight weeks, MUS 215 and MUS 221 have completed deficiency
testing and are in the middle of recombination mapping. None of the "key
deficiencies" (a set of large deletions spanning regions with known
DNA repair genes) uncovered either gene. Both of these mutants are in the
final generation required to place flanking markers around the gene of interest.
I will soon begin testing each set of recombinant lines for mutagen hypersensitivity.
Following the results from this, the next stage will be p-element mapping. As
a learning opportunity, this project has required a core knowledge of working
with a model organism as well as a greater knowledge of the genetic techniques
and the theory behind these mapping methods. Most recently, I have been
involved in preparing the necessary transposase stocks that will soon be
required for p-element mapping.
I began my research at the West Virginia archives in Charleston,
West Virginia. The staff there proved extremely helpful. In fact, the head
researcher, Jo Geiger, took time out of his schedule to show me some documents
he though would help with my project as well as all the resources available
in the library. I spent the first few days of my trip concentrating on statehood
papers and private correspondence of prominent figures in the statehood
movement. My biggest problem was deciphering the handwriting on some of
the manuscripts but I managed to get the general message out of most of
them. I also went through two years worth of West Virginia newspapers of
the time. As I read through the material, I found my thesis starting to
take shape around several key justifications that West Virginia's leaders
used during the statehood movement. During one day of the trip I managed
to travel up to Wheeling, the city where all of the conventions took place.
I happened to get caught in a huge snowstorm but I managed to get pictures
of Independence Hall that I can put in my final paper. Actually being there
gave me a sense of the atmosphere in which these men must have worked to
create a new state. In the last part of my trip, I went up to Morgantown
to search through the West Virginia University Library. Again, the staff
was extremely helpful and guided me to the materials that would help me
the most. I got to look through more correspondence, I didn't get through
all the materials I wanted to but I did get to see most of it. All in all,
I feel that I expanded my research and note-taking skills on this trip.
Having the opportunity to study at an archive was excellent training for
my future career as an historian.
I have been working on the contact lens project for eight weeks
now. I have successfully recruited 15 contact lens subjects and 10 control
subjects to participate in the study. A fifteen-minute videotape of each
subject has been made. The video sequences of each subject has been coded
and blindly viewed to identify the area of interest in the microcirculation.
The severity index has been computed for all 25 subjects. The morphometric
changes have all been measured via VASCAN, and NIH images. All the data
will be compiled and statistical analysis will be performed. Furthermore,
more subjects will be recruited to complete the study next quarter and I
will be presenting my results in the Undergraduate Research Conference at
UC Davis. Participating in PUF has been a great learning experience for
me. I was able to do extensive research as expected and conduct independent
research. Setting up my own experiments to statistically analyze the data
has given me a new outlook on research. I gained various new skills: working
with human subjects, designing experiments and learning about microcirculation
in medicine as well as bioengineering. I have also been able to participate
in several research seminars at the UC Davis Medical Center with my mentor
that exposed me to many extraordinary research projects in the real world.
I have also learned being that involved in a research requires patience
and dedication. One challenge I faced was to balance the research with a
heavy load of schoolwork. During this quarter, I was forced to learn to
manage my time better and complete all the work on time. The fellowship
has given me the opportunity to learn the many valuable skills outside of
the classroom as well as the knowledge that is applicable in or outside
of research. I have truly enjoyed my research and working with other researchers.
Now, I am certain that I will be attending graduate school in the future
to continue my education in bioengineering.
I have extracted DNA from a total of 159 leaf samples from five
populations of G. thurberi. Using material from three to five populations
I have screened eleven microsatellite loci for length polymorphism. I found
very low levels of length polymorphism. Five loci were monomorphic, three
were poorly resolved and three loci, CML 63, BNL 3955 and BNL 2496 were
polymorphic, each having two alleles (Table 1). despite these low levels
of polymorphism, at only three loci, the markers are proving to be useful
for distinguishing between populations (Figure 1). Agua Caliente and Florida
canyon populations are apparently more genetically similar to each other
than to any other population. Also, the data suggests that the cold spot
of the study, Molino Basin, seems more genetically isolated than all other
populations. I am currently screening all remaining individuals from all
populations with the three polymorphic loci. Additionally, I have begun
to screen the monomorphic microsatellite loci, using Single Stranded Conformation
Polymorphism (SSCP) analysis to detect DNA sequence variation. To date,
the one locus analyzed shows some variation, four haplotypes among a subset
of individuals from all five populations. Despite frustrations, this ongoing
process of troubleshooting the experimental design, encountering and solving
problems, and brainstorming to find new experimental avenues in order to
test my predictions has strengthened my analytical thinking and has given
me a greater appreciation of the challenges of scientific research. I already
feel much more prepared and confident for graduate-level research. While
I know I will encounter many more challenges, I look forward to the satisfaction
of completing this study.
I, Preliminary Data A. Protein Purification Protein P35 V71P was
expressed in Escherichia coli bacteria, in which the gene was previously
cloned. We prepared a 6-liter bacteria culture media and expressed protein
for one day. We then harvested the cells and broke open the bacteria by
mechanical shearing to externalize the protein. In order to purify the protein,
we first used a metal affinity column which uses the target protein's unique
characteristic of binding to a metal. The eluted protein from the column
was contaminated by other bacterial proteins according to the protein gel
electrophoresis. Therefore, we used another column called anion exchange
column which the protein partially bound. So we did not get much separation
of the target protein. Lastly, we used a gel filtration column, which separated
proteins according to their size. This method gave us a fairly pure protein
solution. B. Crystallization Screening We set up screens for crystallization
of the protein, using screens called Jena and Hampton Crystal Screens 1
and 2 at room temperature. Unfortunately, we did not get any crystals and
the protein mostly precipitated. But there were some conditions that looked
hopeful for future trial conditions. II. Ongoing Research P35 V71P protein
contains poly-histidine tag at one end which binds to the metal column.
We are currently attempting to find the right reaction condition to cleave
off the tag from the protein thinking that maybe the tag is interfering
with the crystallization process. We are also looking for different ways
to purify the protein to obtain a more pure protein solution. III. Future
Experiments We will continue to prepare more protein and setup for crystallization
using different conditions, perhaps by changing the temperature. Once we
get a suitable crystal, it will be possible to solve the protein structure. IV.
Project Experience I have so far learned many valuable laboratory skills,
which I can directly apply to any future laboratory positions. I had an
opportunity to study in depth in particular areas such as apoptosis and
X-ray crystallography. I have learned the importance of keeping an organized
notebook for the research. I also participated in lab group meetings during
which I had a chance to present my work.
My research, while a learning experience, has not gone as smoothly
as I had planned. The timeline I set for myself in January changed as my
interview subjects had schedules to juggle and could not always participate
within the period I had allotted myself. My schedule also became an issue,
for I had a family emergency that set me back a week. These occurrences
make up the reality of everyday life that affects research along the way.
While they may seem small at first, these events added up slowly and forced
me to reevaluate my timeline. As I created my survey, I only considered
how the flow of the questions would make sense if a person were answering
them in succession. The same was true of my interview questions. However,
when doing the interview, often one question would be answered as a subject
as answered and different question. Some interviewees on the other hand,
required me to continue following up in the discussion, clarifying answers,
and getting the interviewee to engage with the subject. There was also great
variance in the interview times in that some only took 20 minutes whereas
others almost went an hour, which I did not expect. The setting also played
an important role as friends of the interviewee would sometimes see us and
stop by to talk, breaking the flow of the interview. Ideally, I would have
used the same location for each interview on each site, but I met the interviewees
wherever they wanted to talk. Since beginning this project, I have also
been able to attend a couple conferences which will add to my research project's
data collection. While on -site, I took notes and attempted to gather as
much information as possible. However, it was not until I began writing
that I realized other ways I could have approached subject. Then I looked
over the answers on the surveys, I realize how it would change it I were
to begin the project again to elicit deeper responses without adding too
much time to the survey. The interviews, while generally on the long end
of my time estimate, were not able to dive into all of the issues that came
up. Transcribing these interview tapes proved tedious as I spent almost
an hour on each tape. Looking at the transcriptions, I was able to find
themes in the responses as I had expected, which made the time worth it.
Formulating these responses into a cohesive paper, however, has proved harder
as I discover areas that lacked the depth I later wanted them to have. I
am pleased that my respondents were open and willing to talk to me about
a subject that I knew many of them might not have had a venue in which to
do so. While this was the goal, if they had not talked to me, my research
project would be very different. Based on their answers to my questions
and the question I raised to myself throughout the process has given me
ideas for multiple other projects to pursue in graduate school. The minute
details and numerous possibilities of research have been illuminated for
me through this undergraduate project, funded by the President's Undergraduate
Fellowship.
So far to date, I have completed the project that I had set forth
in my fellowship application with only a small minor change. My goal is
to figure out which tyrosine sits on the epidermal growth factor receptor
(EGFr) are phosphorylated leading to activation of certain pathways due
to wounding of the skin. I then want to observe what effects hydrogen peroxide
produced after wounding have on the EGFr. Initially I wanted to study the
845, 1045, and 1101 tyrosine sites, however we were not able to purchase
the antibody for detecting phosphorylated 1101 tyrosine. The project was
thus minorly changed to studying the 845, 992, and 1045 tyrosine sites on
the EGFr, which when phosphorylated lead to activation of the EGFr, inflammatory
pathway, and cell degradation pathways respectively. My results show that
the 1045 tyrosine is not affected by wounding or hydrogen peroxide. As for
the 845 and 992 tyrosine sites, there is about an equal amount of phosphorylation
extending from 0 minutes to 1 hour after wounding. I may want to try out
later time points to look at. Also, it appears that there is slightly less
phosphorylation of those sites when hydrogen peroxide produced from wounding
is reduced by the addition of N-acetylcystein. This is what I expected to
see. If there is less phosphorylation of those specific tyrosine sites on
the EGFr when naturally produced hydrogen peroxide are reduced, that means
that reactive oxygen species must play an important role in activating the
EGFr and cell degradation pathways. These results are only preliminary,
and of course it is important to repeat the whole experiment in a different
cell line to rule out the possibility that the results were due to human
error or an artifact of the type of cells I used. During this project,
I have learned not only new lab techniques, but also what it's like to work
in a cell biology lab where planning is extremely important. I never realized
how demanding human cells can be where they need a lot of attention, even
on the weekends if necessary, and timing is critical. Apparently weekends
and vacations are a foreign concept to them so it's always necessary to
plan ahead. I plan on doing research in the future, so this internship project
has definitely been helpful and definitely a good experience so far.
Throughout this quarter, I have used my funds to further my research
project, tentatively entitled, "Chaste, Silent, and Hungry: The Problem
of Female Appetite in Early Modern England." My research, as I explained
in my proposal last quarter, explores the combative relationship between
women and food in early modern England, in view of cultural conceptualizations
of female sexual appetite and insatiability. Since my thesis project uses
early modern advice literature as historical evidence, I have spent much
of my time downloading sixteenth and seventeenth-century conduct books from
online at Early English Books Online; I then closely read these texts, and
gather any relevant information. Accessing these sources on campus was troublesome
at times, as the sheer volume of many sources often impeded other students
using the campus computer rooms from printing out their materials. thus,
I opted to print part of these books at home, which put a significant strain
on my financial resources because ink prices are quite expensive. But I
reasoned that retrieving these sources was essential to my project, and
my top priority; thus, I reassessed my original budget and canceled my intended
trip to the UCLA library. Besides searching for primary sources, I have
researched for secondary scholarly works dealing with subjects related to
my thesis topic. I also took the initiative and purchased sources with my
funds that were otherwise difficult to access via interlibrary loan. The
research portion of my project is near completion. Now, I begin the arduous
task of constructing a coherent argument from all I have found and learned.
History, I now realize, is a mess; nothing is nearly as definite and neat
as it is portrayed in history textbooks. I have learned just how much personal
deliberation and, well, to be frank, personal bias, goes into the act of
writing history. This bias, I am increasingly realizing, is important, as
it allows for the expression of different historical interpretations and
perspectives. As an aspiring historian interested in women's experiences
in the early modern period, I enjoy bringing my own priorities and concerns
to the fragmented documents and jumbled archives we call history, creating
in the process what I believe is becoming a truly unique historical interpretation
of women's appetites nearly half a millennia ago. My research skills have
greatly improved as a result of this project, as has my confidence as a
historian. I am grateful for this experience and thank you earnestly for
your generous support.
To date I have been able to successfully over-express cyclin E
in over 10 different cell lines. As hypothesized, the isoforms characteristic
of breast cancers have persisted in other cell lines as well. Interestingly
enough, the clipping was not persistent in a cell line called MCF10A. Unlike
all the other cell lines tested, this cell line is not tumor derived. This
has huge implications as it indicates the isoforms may play some role in
tumorgenesis. Experiments have run smoothly except for an antibody problem,
which as I am learning is not all together uncommon in research. Luckily
the lab has a home-made antibody that seems to be working well. In my time
remaining I hope to repeat as many experiments as possible as well as explore
the MCF10A cell lines. It is possible to make MCF10A cells become tumors
if you transform them to have a mutant Ras gene. I hope to transfect this
gene in with my cyclin E and see if clipping persist. If this proves true,
I think that I might actually have publishable results. While working on
this project I have definitely seen myself grow as a scientist. When we
saw the MCF10A, I had t use the Internet website pub-med to investigate
what oncogene would be a good one to transfect. On top of that, I have learned
many new valuable skills, such as westerns and transcient transfections,
that will be valuable throughout my career. Most importantly however, I
do not think it would be farfetched to say that this project has allowed
me to become more of a vital member in the lab as a scientist, and not just
as a second-hand. For the first time Maria has suggested that I be a first
author on a paper with the work I am doing, something she has never considered
before.
Attached to this report you will find a copy of my thesis. I think
the final product can, and must, speak for itself. This thesis has become
much more than merely a fifty-page paper — it is a labor of both love
and hate. While my peers were enjoying spring weather I was inside writing,
often bitter. However, with hindsight I can appreciate the opportunity to
do research, work intimately with dedicated and talented faculty members,
and dramatically improve my writing and analytical skills. This experience
has not only opened my eyes to the benefits of doing research, but has also
helped determine my career and educational path. I thank you again for this
wonderful opportunity.
A huge difference exists in learning by knowledge and learning
by actions. By experiencing research first hand in the field, I will develop
basic comprehension and skills of true science and I will be able to complete
an entire project from start to finish. I plan to apply to a Masters Graduate
program after graduation and this gives me a preview of the work that I
hope to accomplish. Since I wish to do graduate work in mitigation of natural
hazards, seeing implementation of restoration projects and their direct
effects will give me a wider perspective for continuing my studies.
After working in a research lab in the department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology
for almost two years now, I have become fascinated with the immune system
and its response to bacterial infection. I have decided that I want to study
these host-pathogen interactions further in graduate school. Having the
opportunity to design and conduct my own experiments in this field as an
undergraduate would greatly prepare me for work as a graduate student. Not
only would I gain valuable skills in research techniques, but it would also
give me a greater understanding of the overall processes involved in designing
and conducting immunological research.
I hope to apply the knowledge gained through my studies to a "real
world" experience through this project. This opportunity will allow
me to focus on a specific aspect of study in more detail than I would be
able to in the classroom. Through this project, I hope to gain more insight
into the fields of architecture and planning, how the fields relate to each
other, and how architecture fits into the larger context of the community
and natural environment. I hope to pursue a career related to architecture
and planning and feel this project is relevant to my goals.
I plan to earn a Ph.D. in Human Development, and then do research
on and work directly with developmentally delayed children. Experience doing
my own research will help me decide what percent of my time to dedicate
to research as opposed to teaching or care taking. This project will build
upon my experience as a research assistant coding infants' behaviors to
study their motor development. I will write and revise codes, choose subjects,
train my research assistant, determine the reliability (inter-observer agreement)
of observations, analyze and present data, and draw conclusions based on
the literature and my findings.
The experience I will gain while completing this project will directly
benefit me in my current work at UC Davis and in the future as a graduate
student. As I have demonstrated, the research I will acquire at UCLA's archive
will be a fundamental part of my final thesis project. It will also give
me experience in analyzing visual research materials, a skill that I am
eager to develop. Furthermore, as a student planning to do independent historical
research in graduate school, traveling to an unfamiliar research collection
and using its archives will be a unique and valuable experience.
This project has immense learning potential for me as a graduating
senior this year. For the first time, I am combining my two passions: geology
and education. Next year I intend to go to graduate school with the goal
of completing a Masters in Education and a Teaching Credential to become
an earth science teacher. Because this project is so interrelated with my
future, this will only be my first step in the advocacy of earth science
education. Having this opportunity while still an undergraduate with the
incredible faculty support at UC Davis is extremely significant to me and
the success of this project. I am looking at this project as a stepping
stone into a Masters or potentially Ph.D. thesis. Not only is this project
challenging me to independently research on a large scale for the first
time, it is also allowing me to learn more about the current trends in geology
and in education, my future.
This project has the potential to augment my skills in the following
areas: design implementation, public relations and people skills, grant
writing skills, and experience in planting selection. As a double major
in Restoration Ecology and Landscape Architecture, my interests center around
designing spaces that are conducive to cultivating people's relationships
with plants. In my work on this project, I hope to enhance my ability to
design and implement my vision and cultivate relationships between plants
and people. As my senior project for the Landscape Architecture major, this
project will be completed with the guidance of Steve McNiel.
This project is the last step for me as a UCD undergrad. I have
taken all the classes for my major and now I need to make some choices for
the next step in my life. The idea of getting into a scientific research
position has always appealed to me, but it is hard to know if you will like
something without first hand experience. This project will permit me to
see if I enjoy research as well as elevate my writing and editing skills
to a more professional level. It may also increase my appeal for potential
graduate schools.
This project will provide me with the opportunity to gain in-depth
knowledge of all aspects of research: from brainstorming to writing up the
results. Through the data acquisition, correlation, and interpretation,
I can learn in my classes to my research. This project is unique because
it allows me to conduct scientific research on an issue very important and
applicable to the medical/clinical setting. Since I am currently considering
a career in research and/or medicine, I can greatly benefit from this invaluable
experience.
