- Area of Study Biology
Where are you from?
San Diego, California
What is your major and how did you choose it?
My major is Biology. During my freshman year of high school, I came into school one Saturday to work on an extra credit lab on DNA fingerprinting and became fascinated with forensic science and the information that it can help scientists obtain. Shortly thereafter, I decided that I wanted a career in forensic science, ideally in the FBI. I looked into the requirements to be a forensic biologist in the FBI, and the first step is to obtain a degree in a natural science such as Biology.
What is your favorite biology course and why?
My favorite Biology course was BI 513: Genetics Laboratory with Dr. Celenza. The course was very hands-on and even though we worked mostly independently on labs, we were guided through the protocols and could ask questions if we were unsure of anything. Dr. Celenza is also such an intelligent, dedicated and charismatic person and an outstanding professor. I also loved BI 530: Forest Ecology with Dr. Templer because we learned important in-depth material about forests and the environment that we would have never known otherwise. We also wrote a research proposal in this class, which was a huge accomplishment for me.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
This is not exactly extracurricular but since I did ballet growing up, I decided to take a ballet class through FitRec this semester to brush up on my ballet technique. Additionally, I am a volunteer for the Gun Sense Action Network, a group associated with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. I make phone calls to new and past volunteers who are interested in preventing gun violence and invite them to participate in national and local gun violence prevention events and activities.
What is your favorite dining spot on or around campus?
I have been to Tatte Bakery in South Campus a couple of times and have really enjoyed the area and the restaurant’s unique menu. I also like Nud Pob Thai in Central Campus because the service is fast and the food rocks.
What’s one BU tip you wish you knew sooner?
Take PDPs if you can! You will miss not having to pay for pilates or dance classes once you graduate.
What are your post-graduation plans?
I have been accepted into BU’s MS in Biomedical Forensic Sciences program. I will spend the next two years studying the different fields of forensic science and possibly concentrating in a certain field. My goal for after graduate school is to become a forensic biologist for the FBI.