Building Confidence in the Labs of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research

Simona Bajgai '20 is expanding her skills and building her confidence in the lab as a summer research intern at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER).

Simona Bajgai '20, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER)

Major:

Biochemistry & molecular biology.

Internship title:

Summer research intern.

What I do, day to day:

I am working on a project where the role of a particular protein as a possible target for breast cancer drugs is being investigated. Initially, I was trained on several lab techniques as well as the theory behind the overall project. Since then, on a day-to-day basis, I conduct experiments like western blotting, process, analyze and present my results on our weekly lab meetings. During these sessions, my supervisor and I get to discuss future plans for the project and receive feedback from the rest of the lab members. Weekly, we have journal clubs where we have discussions on recently published journal articles. I also observe the works of other lab members and try to learn the different techniques and scientific concepts involved in their work.

Most valuable part of this experience:

This is my first experience working full-time in a lab, so I was initially quite uncertain about working on the research project that I was assigned. It was all very new with so many terms, concepts and techniques that I was totally unfamiliar with. However, the training I received before starting full-fledged work on the project was very helpful. I did not just learn lab techniques, but was also taught and encouraged to learn more about concepts behind these techniques as well as the project. My supervisor is constantly stressing the importance of knowing what I am doing and why I am doing it. As the internship progressed, I started working fairly independently. But every time I need help, there is always someone ready to provide it. In these two months, I have come to learn a lot about myself and my work habits and gained confidence in continuing in the path of scientific research.

Advice for students considering internships:

Internships are a great opportunity to explore the field and understand your career interests. So I would suggest looking for internship sites that are fairly different from your previous experiences while still being within your area of interest. Although you might be very certain about something, the variety might just give you something you like even better. So, take full advantage of this time and opportunity you have to find the perfect fit.

How this internship has helped me:

I will be doing collaborative research with a professor at Dickinson for the first time next semester. I believe this experience has given me a lot of confidence about handling myself in a lab setting, thinking analytically about any research project, understanding journal articles, and brainstorming ideas and future plans for a project based on past research and current results. This will be really helpful as I start my first research assignment at Dickinson.

Post-Dickinson plans:

The ideal picture is of me working in a lab on my own research project, investigating my own hypothesis, hoping for the smallest of discoveries. As a physicist once said, “The joy in science is when you figure something out, even the tiniest details, and you know that at that moment, you are the only one that knows this.”

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Published August 8, 2018