I have learned a great deal this summer. While participating in the EUREKA program, I have learned a great deal about networking with industry and UCSB faculty, how to give a good presentation, and a possible future in graduate school. While at the same time, I have learned a great deal of information about my project and field through my many hours of lab work. However, as the summer comes to end I have started to put thought into how I want the next academic year to play out. I aim to improve my GPA through changes in my time management and study habits. While my GPA is not low currently, as I come closer to the end of my undergraduate career at UCSB, I would like to a more competitive applicant for any graduate program I apply for. While I do aim to improve my GPA, I do want to have a very active role in my research lab. Going about next year will prove to be very difficult, however, I am determined to work out a schedule that will allow me to study effectively and still participate in research.

For next summer, I plan to either participate in another research fellowship like EUREKA, taking summer classes, or work in a health clinic for clinical hours. I may even try to do some combination of the three. UCSB offers many different types of research fellowships and grants that will allow me to stay for the summer and pursue my interests and allow me to become a more competitive applicant for the future. While I am not certain on what I will be doing next summer, I still plan on being involved in undergraduate research. I imagine that I will still maintain an active role in research for the rest of my undergraduate career for research was the main reason why I chose to enroll in UCSB.

I knew I wanted to participate in research because I wanted to apply the science I learned in a textbook to a practical use. I have always been a hands-on person, and I knew that by practicing science, I would have a more fulfilling time during my college career. I decided to pursue this interest during the summer before my freshman year. I decided to apply to the CSEP program known as SIMS, the Summer Institute for Mathematics and Science. During this program, I was given a small and brief opportunity to observe and feel what undergraduate research is like. Afterward, I knew that I wanted to continue my undergraduate research experience but I was unsure as to where to begin. I eventually heard about the College of Creative Studies at UCSB. The College of Creative Studies offered their students mentorship under a UCSB faculty member to help and encourage them to enter and flourish in undergraduate research during their college career. After some mentorship from CCS faculty, I decided to look into a research fellowship to further aid me in my search of an undergraduate research lab. After I got accepted into the Early Undergraduate Research and Knowledge Acquisition program, EUREKA, I received additional aid in finding a research lab. Eventually, I found a spot in the Weimb’s lab under the mentorship of Dr. Torres. Now that I have been working in the research lab for several weeks, I hope that I continue to further develop my research and lab skills. During the EUREKA program, I hope to further develop my professional and networking skills. In addition to this, I also hope to become more adept in conducting presentations in a clear, concise, and easy to understand manner. I hope that eventually, I can be a contributing member in the field of science.