Why did you enroll in the Integrated Science course?

In one respect it appealed to me because I was not interested in taking introductory chemistry or physics, but not necessarily bold enough to jump to the upper-level classes. It also appealed to me because although I loved biology in high school, it was not completely satisfying because we never really used math in that subject like we did in chemistry or physics. So the idea of combining math and biology really attracted me. Also, my high school teacher knew who Professor Botstein was, and said if I could take a class with him, I shouldn't turn it down.

What has it been like?

It's been incredible. All of the professors are so invested in the class. There have been some challenging moments with particularly tough problem sets or being in lab all last semester, but I've come out of it with an incredible network of friends, both students and faculty.

How has the course benefited you academically, and has it made you think about what to do after you graduate?

It has definitely solidified my goal to go to graduate school, and made me interested in an academic research career. It's given me an amazing network of faculty that I know I could go to with any question.

How do you like working with the various Integrated Science faculty?

One of the best things about this course is the relationship we’ve been able to develop with the faculty. It’s very much been a ‘we’re in this together’ attitude. They have been so dedicated to the course, and are also really interested in us as people. I’ve had amazing conversations with the faculty, about everything from graduate school to why biology is so cool to the name of a newborn son.

What is the project lab experience like that you do as a junior?

It was intense, but now that I am moving into my thesis lab, I realize that the opportunity we were given was pretty incredible. Presenting our posters at the quantitative and computational biology meeting on our research made the whole thing seem really professional.

What is it like going through the curriculum with a close cohort of students?

My peers in Integrated Science are some of my best friends at school and I think I will keep in touch with them for a long time after graduation. After all we have been through we share a special bond. We’ll always be “integrated kids.”