Independence has been one of the most terrifying and rewarding aspects of my research project thus far. I started working with Dr. Zderic my sophomore year shortly before I applied to the Clare Boothe Luce Scholars program. By the time I was able to start on my project this past summer, all of the graduate students in the lab had left to temporarily work other places. I did have the opportunity to shadow a few students towards the end of the school year, but for the most part I had to figure things out on my own.
Everything felt a bit overwhelming at times. There was no one telling me which buttons I should or shouldn’t be pressing when using a piece of equipment for the first time or explaining how ultrasonic waves propagate through tissue. I had to teach myself everything through a combination of user manuals, textbooks, academic papers, and online resources. The right answers to all the questions I had were not always easy to find. Because most of what I was doing was self-taught, I was constantly paranoid I was doing something wrong.
I think the most important thing I learned this summer was how to be confident in myself, but also knowing when to reach out for help. I had to trust myself to read carefully and pay attention to small details to ensure that I thoroughly understood the topics I was studying and didn’t damage any laboratory equipment. I knew I couldn't let my hesitation hold me back from moving forward on my project. Now that the summer has come to an end and classes are starting, I’m moving on from extensive background research and small preliminary experiments to actual experimentation and data collection. I know it will be difficult to balance my classes and research, but it’s entirely up to me to stay on top of everything. I’ll just have to continue to trust myself and face the challenges ahead of me with an open mind. When starting on a new project, never let the fear of failure prevent you from achieving your goals.