• What are you most excited about as you start your Laidlaw research summer?

This summer, I am excited to become fully immersed in my lab and in the research process. Throughout the school year, balancing academic commitments with lab work (and actually learning) was a difficult task. However, working in the lab for extended periods of time provides me the chance to make significant progress in my technical and analytical skills, especially since my project is machine-learning based. I am already receiving prompt feedback and guidance from my mentors, helping me get into a rhythm of trial-and-error, learning, and growth. Beyond the technical improvements, I am also simply excited to see what results my project will bring. Understanding the computational tools available for RNA Therapeutic discovery is important for the development of precision medicine, and I cannot wait to see things through!

• This week, the discussions we held about research cut across the disciplines. How does the interdisciplinary nature of this program, the fact that students are focusing on such a diverse range of projects, help you think about your project and/or your academic interests more broadly?

I definitely think there is something valuable to be learned from each discipline and its respective research process, be it a literature review or sustained observership. Because my project is grounded in computer science and biology, I welcome the opportunity to view research from other lenses, including history, philosophy, and regional studies. Ultimately, research is meant to tell a story, sharing one's findings with a broader community. With such a diverse range of projects, I can consider how to translate my analytical results into a broader, applicable context that carries weight beyond the computational biology sphere. Additionally, this serves as an opportunity to remain curious, learning about different questions in the world around me and reminding me that I don't have to be tied to one research area.

• As you begin your individual research projects this week, do you anticipate any challenges in getting started? If so, what are they?

One challenge I anticipate is the scope of the data that my project will test. As with many computational projects relating to genetics, there are numerous, large datasets that must be compiled, cleaned up, and incorporated into the project. I know that task can be time-consuming and messy, and it may take a while before I progress past the data-preparation phase. With that said, I welcome the opportunity to learn from that challenge, and I know the pay-off will be worth it.  

ps: this photo was taken during walk along the Hudson River after a day in the lab!