How I Spent My Summer

So among a variety of engineers, a purely life science student can feel quite...out of place. That's why I decided as I was finishing up my junior year to get a head start on my MQP. With the new labs at Gateway, all life science students (and that includes bio/biotech/biomed/biochem/chem)can find a lot of opportunities to work in various labs. It was an incredibly lucky chance that I talked to a great professor who allowed me to work in lab early on in the summer-and I feel that I learned more in the hands-on work during three months of summer than I had in three years of college from sitting in classes.

It's really simple to build good relationships with professors. In bio or chem classes where there are often a 100 or more students, make sure you go up to the professor after class, make him/her know who you are. Work hard, and ask for help whenever you need. The best thing about WPI is that professors are always more than willing to help you succeed and they give great advice. Ask around if they need volunteers in lab- you would be surprised at how many want more people to work in their lab.Or even how many are helpful to get you into other labs-maybe at UMass or elsewhere.My summer volunteer work was completely unpaid-but I have never benefitted more from an experience.The key is to be proactive about your college career from as early a stage as possible. But even if you are at a later stage in college, it's nothing to worry about. I found my MQP during D-Term of my junior year, for example.

Gateway Park has opened up a plethora of opportunities for science students. My best advice would be to get into a lab as early as possible and take advantage of all those opportunities given to us. Good luck!