INBRE Scholars on campus – meet Ashley Urbach

Twenty-six students from 10 different undergraduate and community college programs have joined the Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)/ Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN) program.

Ashley Urbach

Established in 2001, the BRIN program was created to expose students to serious biomedical research, build a statewide biomedical research infrastructure between undergraduate and graduate institutions and to strengthen each undergraduate institution’s infrastructure and increase its capacity to conduct cutting-edge biomedical and behavioral research.

Today we meet Ashley Urbach, a sophomore at Nebraska Wesleyan University who majors in biology and minors in chemistry and psychology.

Where are you from?

I am from Denton, Neb.

What or who influenced your interest in science?

My parents and teachers have been my biggest influence for my interest in science. I’ve always been interested in helping people and learning at the same time and science provides a chance to do both.

What is it about science that excites you?

Science is exciting because there is always something new to learn and this new knowledge could potentially help millions of people.

Will you pursue a career in science? If so, what do you hope to accomplish?

I hope to have a career somewhere in science. I’m not sure exactly what I plan on doing, but I have an interest in research and am seeing what area sparks my interest.

Why is it important to have programs like INBRE?

It is important to have these programs so that students who have an interest in research can truly experience what it would be like to work in a lab and get hands-on experience to help them decide if that’s the right path for them.