The Nebraska Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program has welcomed 27 undergraduate students from across Nebraska as they embark on their summer research experience at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and UNMC.
Below, Rebecca Zawistowski, a biochemistry and classical languages dual major at Creighton University, talks about her INBRE experience.
Tell me about yourself. Who are your heroes?
My biggest heroes are my parents and siblings. They put in hard work every day to do the best that they can, and they inspire me to give 110 percent. In terms of science, my hero is Rosalind Franklin. Her work in DNA inspired me to study biochemistry and, more specifically, learn more about proteins and DNA.
What are your career goals?
I want to continue doing research. I am the kind of person who wants to continually learn. Therefore, I feel research is a perfect fit for me. I hope to one day do research with DNA and proteins.
How did you become interested in science?
The person who got me interested in science was my eighth-grade science teacher. She asked me to join the Science Olympiad program at my school. At first, I was reluctant. However, after much thought, I did join, and a whole new world was opened up to me. I wanted to explore science more in depth, so I continued to pursue it in high school and also now as an undergraduate.
What do you hope the INBRE program will do for you?
I believe this experience will help prepare me for graduate and professional level research. I hope to gain confidence working in a laboratory setting. This program offers a unique chance for me to learn from experts in fields that interest me, and it gives me a chance to see what life in a professional lab is like.
How do you see science evolving over the next 20 years?
The rate of scientific progress has increased exponentially over the years, and I think it will continue to do so. I see an increasing value in having a basic understanding of science, and I hope many others will realize how important it is to help expand the scientific world.