INBRE scholars: Meet Bina Ranjit

Twenty-two undergraduate students are spending the summer at UNMC doing research.

They are called INBRE scholars and are part of the largest grant in UNMC history.

Today we feature Bina Ranjit, a junior at the University of Nebraska at Omaha majoring in biotechnology.

What should we know about you?
I was born in Cleveland and moved to India when I was a baby. I moved back here to take advantage of the hands-on learning experience in biology.

What or who influenced your interest in science?
My mom used to be a scientist working in the area of cancer research.

What is it about science that excites you?
The fact that science can influence our lives instantly, while at the same time it is still constantly evolving.

Will you pursue a career in science? If so, what do you hope to accomplish?
My goal is to get into an M.D./Ph.D. program. I want to see patients, as well as be involved in cutting-edge research that would improve our ability to help patients.

Why is it important to have programs like INBRE?
INBRE gives college students a better understanding of what we learn in class well before we graduate. It helps reinforce the material from lectures that will in turn help produce better scientists or doctors or pharmacists and the like. Also, the program helps students make better choices after they graduate. Witnessing how a lab works and the problems and joys of being in the science field gives students a clear understanding of what our future will be like. The experience gives us an advantage over our peers — the advantage of being aware and informed.