I wasn’t always the adventurous person I am today. I was reserved and introspective, seeking solace in the familiar, never venturing out too far on my own. I felt anxious and stressed with the idea of getting out and doing my own thing. I didn’t spread my wings until much later. Let’s rewind to where this adventure began—back to my junior year of college.
I never imagined I would move 750 miles away from home. Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was my home for four years during college. Entering my junior year as a biochemistry/molecular biology major, I began mapping out my career path beyond college. My love for the sciences—chemistry, biology and physics—had always been unwavering. Even as a child, I had always wanted to be a scientist, something that drove my passion in college. I craved understanding—how things worked, especially how changes to proteins and signaling pathways led to diseases like cancer. I was compelled to work as an undergraduate researcher on computationally modeling molecular dynamic simulations—a great blend of my two passions: science and technology.
In 2013, a year into my research endeavors, my research advisor offered to sponsor my attendance at the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate computational chemistRY (MERCURY), which was hosted at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. This small conference catered to a niche audience of undergraduate researchers specializing in molecular modeling. I heard that undergraduate researchers occasionally attended conferences, but I didn’t think it would happen to me! I felt like the long hours in the lab—toiling away at molecular modeling—had paid off! I was exhilarated both for my first event and my first visit to Pennsylvania!
We landed in a small airport and drove through the Valley and Ridge Province of the majestic Appalachian Highlands towards the university. I was eager to explore the 450-acre campus and 167-year history—but the thought of navigating unfamiliar territory left me feeling apprehensive and a little nervous. So, with the exception of travel to and from the university, I confined myself to the university campus. Next time, I was determined that I would take better advantage of my travel.
The following year, I attended my second symposium, the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), hosted at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Unlike the specialized MERCURY conference, NCUR welcomed undergraduate researchers from all fields. Joined by one hundred fellow researchers from Eau Claire, we boarded our charter bus and set out for a 700-mile journey.
I prepared for the long drive; I packed an external battery pack for my phone, downloaded music and videos for offline listening and viewing, managed bathroom breaks and learned to sleep while in motion. Drawing from my previous experience in Pennsylvania, I invited a few friends to join me in discovering the University of Kentucky. Together, we marveled at the expansive library and admired their Wildcat Alumni Plaza.
Later that evening, we ventured out into Lexington, even if it was only to visit a Waffle House. While Waffle Houses are abundant in the Southern United States, the franchise is absent in the upper Midwest. This simple excursion marked my first realization that I could explore more than just the campus and immerse myself in new experiences.
As college came to a close, it was time to chart my career path. The conferences I attended had left an unforgettable mark—engaging in scientific discussions with peers and listening to presentations on unfamiliar topics—all cemented my passion for unraveling the intricacies of signaling pathways in disease. Coupled with my newfound drive to see more of the world, I decided to pursue my PhD in Biomedical Sciences outside of Wisconsin.
After thoroughly scouting Cancer Biology PhD programs across the United States, I was accepted into the Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), nearly 1,000 miles from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. As my family helped pack the U-Haul for the cross-country move, I couldn’t help but feel thrilled to pursue a life goal yet timid—the comfort zone I had expanded during college was about to be stretched even further. I found reassurance that my family would be with me for the drive to Birmingham—my parents drove the moving truck while my sister and I drove my Toyota Camry.
The road was long, the bathroom breaks frequent and the gas tank filled every couple hundred miles. To pass the time, my sister and I decided to adopt a quirky tradition inspired by the TV show ‘How I Met Your Mother’. In a memorable episode, the cassette player in Marshall’s car gets stuck playing The Proclaimers’ hit song, ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. We thought it would be funny to commit to listening to that song, and only that song, for the entire drive. It was hilarious and made for a great road trip memory! Even now, whenever I hear the tune while traveling across the country, it brings a smile to my face as I promptly hit ‘skip’.
This was the start of both my professional and travel journey—how I overcame my apprehension, my nervousness and timidity to explore the world around me. I left academia shortly after graduate school and transitioned to an industry position. During this time, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to some amazing places for school—Lake Guntersville State Park, New Orleans, Chicago and Atlanta—as well as Boston for work. Now, as I travel for work, I embrace opportunities to indulge my curiosity. Whether it’s for school, work or something else, I urge you to seize every chance to explore and discover.
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