Have you ever been so excited for the future that it’s hard to focus on the present? After finding out that I was selected to be a CISEI intern at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden for this summer, it’s been hard to focus on classes. Spring quarter also has its difficulties because of the beautiful weather that surrounds us in sunny Santa Barbara – why work on homework inside when you could be basking in the sun outside?

How I stay focused (or try to):

1) I remind myself that I was selected to go to Sweden for my hard work in lab and classes, so I need to keep it up in order to hopefully earn an amazing internship in the future. Whenever I get demotivated about learning organic chemistry or thermodynamics, I think about how these classes might be able to help me in my research this summer. Tentatively I will be working in Professor Martin Andersson’s lab, where they study biomimetic synthesis (mimic what nature does best), regenerative medicine (using nanoparticles to help drug delivery), and nanotoxicology (how the shape of nanoparticles affects their toxicity). I am unbelievably excited for the summer at this gorgeous university!

2) Take breaks, and a lot of them. When I hit a wall with my homework, I often find its better to take a 30 minute break and then get started again with a refreshed brain. The trick is to make sure you get back on track after the break – its not always easy, but once I master this skill, productivity will be my middle name. Also, over the course of the past two years, I’ve realized that you learn a lot in college outside of the classroom. For instance, impromptu talks with my housemates can help me learn things I’d never read about in a textbook. Discussions on world news, government policies, and even TV preferences has opened up my mind to new views of the world.

3) Study with friends! It’s proven that teaching someone the material is the best way to reinforce learning it yourself. Besides, for a competitive person like myself, there is no better way to finish a problem set than wanting to figure out a problem before someone else. At the same time, if I am really stuck on a problem, its nice to have a friend give you hints and lead you in the right direction instead of struggling with it for hours.

4) Combine breaks with working out. I know, it sounds crazy; but here in Santa Barbara it’s so easy to get a great workout while enjoying the sun. For instance, going on a run around campus point lets you see the beach and going for a swim in the rec center pool means you can relax in the hot tub afterwards. Or better yet, grabbing a few friends and play basketball or volleyball outside means you can hang out with friends, enjoy the sun, and work up a sweat. I always feel productive after a good workout which encourages me to finish my work!

While I can’t say I’m productive 100% of the time, I’m constantly learning how work more efficiently and effectively. My goal for the quarter is to finish this year strong and not over pack my luggage for my summer in Sweden!

So if you don’t get the hint from my title – I’m going to talk about SWE. What is SWE, you ask? SWE is the Society of Women Engineers and its mission is to support women engineers in the workplace. You do not need to be a woman or an engineer to join – you just need to support the cause. (Insert shameless plug for UCSB SWE here)

Enough background, let’s get to the good stuff. This past weekend, I attended the SWE Sonora Regional Conference in San Diego. Despite the rain, the conference was a blast! If you go to conferences, you get to stay at amazing hotels like the Hitlon in San Diego. It was hard to remember that I was there for a conference and not a vacation.

At the conference, there was an amazing career fair where I got great tips on how to improve my resume. Pro-tip: even if a company doesn’t hire your specific major, talk to them about their general work-life at the company. You can learn something from everyone! I found out about different company work environments, differences between technical and leadership tracks once you start working, and how certain companies support their employees getting Masters’ Degrees (including MBAs!) while still working for the company.

After the career fair, I went to three different breakout sessions. Here are the major things I picked up on:

1) There is a definite double standard for men and women in the work place. Think about it: If your male boss takes control he’s the BOSS; if a woman does the same, she’s labeled as BOSSY. This ad by Pantene will be able to explain it much better than I can through words. Watch it!

2) Its not just men who reinforce this stereotype – sometimes other women can be barriers to success for their female coworkers. It’s frustrating, but one way to help combat this issue is to just bring awareness to it.

3) Make S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for success. Know your learning style and personality type through online tests to better understand yourself and use your time more efficiently and effectively.

4) It’s okay to be selfish sometimes. You have goals and morals and should stick to them. Now this doesn’t mean that you should be mean to everyone, it just means that when you are working in a company or a partnership, you are allowed to ask “What is this doing to help me?” as well as “How I am helping?”

5) Mentorship is amazing! The mentor/mentee relationship is such a unique experience that is often underrated. As someone who has had several mentors and has been lucky enough to serve as a mentor as well, the satisfaction of this mutual support system is very fulfilling. After this conference, I’ve noticed gaps in my mentor network and am on the lookout for new mentors to help me answer questions about life in industry.

6) There are some amazing women engineers out there! Here is a picture of the UCSB SWE girls who attended the conference this year.

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!)

This summer started off with two main goals: do research and go to Six Flags. Well, I never really had the time to go to Six Flags, but I did do a lot of lab work, reading, and presenting.

I came into the summer thinking that research was going to be mentally exhausting, but I was not prepared for the pain that comes with standing all day by your lab bench. But all those long days of research is well worth seeing the finished product, which in my case is stretched nanoparticles used for drug delivery. It is exciting to set mini goals for yourself throughout the summer to keep you motivated to the end.

This summer, I have discovered a new love for poster presentations. I enjoy being able to talk to people one-on-one about my project and answer any questions they may have on my work. I look forward to presenting at the SACNAS Conference this fall, and meanwhile I am preparing for my final talk next week (I can’t believe the summer is almost over!). I love being able to talk about my work because I feel as though it brings my research around full circle from learning about my project from my mentor, troubleshooting through my project by myself, and then teaching other people about my research.

My favorite part of the summer has been meeting so many amazing people. In the Mitragotri Lab, we have had several graduate students from abroad researching here for the summer. It has been wonderful to meet other people energetic about science and discover the subtle differences in culture between different countries and how they approach science. Outside of my lab group, I’ve become friends with several CSEP interns through scrambling together on our practice presentations and attending informative seminars throughout the summer.

While I never went to Six Flags (my friends and I decided to go on a hike instead), I did enjoy living here in Santa Barbara for the summer. I am so excited to come back in the fall and continue doing research, but meanwhile I will be taking a relaxing break back home.

Research: when you come home exhausted because you’ve been standing in lab all day and you love it. I never quite understood why graduate students would choose to be “stuck” in the lab all day until I tried it myself. It is so satisfying to learn new techniques and repeat procedures until you have them memorized. The thing to keep in mind while doing research is to go with the flow – sometimes the same procedure that has always been successful  in the past won’t work because of something you can’t control (such as Santa Barbara’s humidity during June Gloom).

This summer, I’m working the the Mitragotri lab as part of the EUREKA (Early Undergraduate Research and Knowledge Acquisition) internship. I started to work a few hours a week in the lab during Spring quarter, so the transition into full-time research about engineering nanoparticle shape for drug delivery has been easier. However, while conducting research, I still have a million questions. I’ve learned that this is normal and I’ve found that to answer questions you should Google or ask your mentor and lab mates. My lab mates are very knowledgeable not only about their own research, but general information related to my project and the field of drug delivery.

Outside of lab, attending GRIT Talks and other seminars about different components of research, such as presenting your research, has been critical in bringing my research experience around full circle. Last week, after I gave a 3 minute presentation on my research and the audience asked me questions, I pictured one powerpoint slide that would have made my presentation much clearer. Its only through presenting your research can you understand gaps in your own understanding.

Overall, it has been an amazing summer so far and I’m sure I’ll miss it once I start school in the fall. It is entertaining to joke around with the grad students, postdocs, and other interns in the Mitragotri lab and it has been a great environment for both learning and meeting new people from around the world and the U.S.