108 Research Reflection by Tejashree Prakash

Faculty Mentor: James Gagnon (School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah)

My research experience really shaped my entire undergraduate career. I had the opportunity to craft my own project with just the supervision of Jamie, my PI, and carry it through for almost two years. Jamie was an integral part of my research experience, he believed in me to bring me into his lab when I was just a sophomore with no prior experience, and continued to encourage me as I grew my skills. It gave me so many opportunities to present my research and really develop my skills that go beyond biological science research such as presenting, creating, collaborating, etc. My research experience has opened a lot of doors for me now that I am a graduating Senior. I am branching into new fields of health science and biological science, and I am really excited to see how the tools I have garnered throughout my undergraduate research career will be applied to explore new disciplines.