Being able to travel half way across the country, in the middle of a school week, all to present my summer research. Let me tell you – it was an amazing experience.

In the beginning of October I embarked on a journey with my fellow SACNAS (Society of Advancement of Chicanos, Latinos, and Native Americans in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) officers and summer research peers to go to San Antonio, Texas and present my research from the EUREKA Internship this summer at the SACNAS National Conference.

What I expected: meet some new people, learn about an internship or two, present my work, eat good food, and maybe explore Texas a bit.

What actually happened: I met so many amazing people, each with their unique stories and creative research. I was so happy I could share my passion for science with people from all over the country who understood my excitement. I learned about different cultures and even attended a Native American Pow Wow Ceremony (pictured below).

The SACNAS Conference has an exhibit hall where undergraduate students present their research in poster presentations and universities and industries from all over the nation host booths to recruit YOU to apply for their internship, graduate school, or even work position. I have yet to sort through all of the information I was given, but I’m pretty sure I will be applying to at least a dozen internships across the country all related to my interests in chemical engineering and bioengineering.

I presented my research in this very same exhibit hall – there were judges and people walking by, asking questions and wanting to hear about my work. It was an amazing experience being able to present my summer work on using nanoparticles for drug delivery to breast cancer cells. People from all backgrounds came by to ask about my research and it was great practice to learn how to cater a slightly different talk about the research based on everyone’s scientific background.

The food in Texas was delicious! From the desserts at the conference, to the huge plate of nachos I ordered at a restaurant, to the gelato I indulged in from a small ice cream parlor on the Riverwalk – it is all mouthwatering just thinking about it.

Walking around the city of San Antonio with my friends from UCSB was probably the most relaxing part of the conference. We were able to visit The Alamo (picture above) and learn a bit about the history of San Antonio while taking a boat tour on the Riverwalk. My favorite part of site seeing was taking the 60 second elevator ride up to the Tower of America. The view of San Antonio at night from 600 feet high is absolutely breathtaking. It was super windy when we took this picture!

Overall, the SACNAS Conference was an amazing experience and I look forward to attending the National Conference again next year in the fall!  (I’ll end this blog with a picture of the UCSB Crew on the SACNAS stage after the last group dinner at the conference!)