An article by recent Hope graduate Shirley Bradley highlights the significance of her experience participating in undergraduate research at the college.
Her article "My Passion for Research" is featured in the September 2010 edition of "Enzymatic," the newsletter of the Undergraduate Affiliates Network of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Bradley, who notes that she was drawn to the college because of its strong reputation in the sciences and undergraduate research, calls undergraduate research "one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
She reflects on her four years working in the laboratory of Dr. Maria Burnatowska-Hledin, who is the Frederich Garrett and Helen Floor Dekker Professor of Biology and Chemistry at Hope. She highlights her growth across her time with the research group, and concludes by describing the feeling of accomplishment that accompanies answering research questions; the benefits in attending regional and national scientific meetings; and the important guidance provided by her research mentor. She also discusses opportunities that she enjoyed beyond her academic and research experiences, and her commitment to giving back by sharing her experiences, such as through science demonstrations for students at her former middle and high school.
A member of the college's Class of 2010 who majored in biology and chemistry and minored in mathematics and political science, Bradley is now pursuing a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology at the Mayo Clinic. Her career goal is to become a research scientist investigating the molecular mechanisms of breast cancer.
The September 2010 newsletter featuring Bradley's article is available online as a pdf at http://www.asbmb.org/CareersAndEducation.aspx?id=1706. The article is on pages 4-6.