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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FEATURES

Summer Fellowships, Internships, and Research ll

GRACE FINCH I

Grace Finch, sophomore, participated in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program virtually. NIST is seeking to make a new float glass Standard Reference Material (SRM) that can be used on the microscale, particularly for the forensic community. During this fellowship, Finch’s role was to utilize Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to retrieve data about the concentrations of Lanthanum, Thorium, Neodymium, Cerium, Rubidium, and Uranium in three float glass standards to see if they have the potential to become SRMs. Because NAA doesn’t require many in-person elements, a remote research fellowship with the NIST was a great opportunity for Finch. “A big part of being a scientist is looking at the data an experiment yields and reasoning about it, maybe even a bigger part than being able to run an experiment someone else designed. I got hands-on experience breaking down data to see exactly what it was telling us and then drew conclusions about that data,” Finch said. “All these skills are necessary for being a scientist, just as much as measuring things in the lab, and I got the chance to practice them in a very real setting. I would definitely encourage my peers to consider a virtual internship! You will still learn a lot.” Grace Finch, sophomore, participated in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program virtually. NIST is seeking to make a new float glass Standard Reference Material (SRM) that can be used on the microscale, particularly for the forensic community. During this fellowship, Finch’s role was to utilize Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to retrieve data about the concentrations of Lanthanum, Thorium, Neodymium, Cerium, Rubidium, and Uranium in three float glass standards to see if they have the potential to become SRMs. Because NAA doesn’t require many in-person elements, a remot research fellowship with the NIST was a great opportunity for Finch. “A big part of being a scientist is looking at the data an experiment yields and reasoning about it, maybe even a bigger part than being able to run an experiment someone else desig ed. I got ha ds-on experience breaking down data to see exactly what it was telling us and then drew conclusions about that data,” Finch said. “All these skills are necessary for being a scientist, just as muc as mea uring thing in the lab, and I got he chance to pr ctic them in a very real setting. I would definitely encourage my peers to consider a virtual internship! You will still l arn a lot.”

DYLAN REIL DYLAN REIL

Dylan Reil, senior, participated in the University of Miami’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program this past summer. The research internship was funded by the National Cancer Institute and he’s working in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. During his time in the program, he lived on the University of Miami's main academic campus in Coral Gables. He completed research full-time and attended daily career workshops/events that were scheduled in the program. His project was to synthesize a new fusion protein that could potentially be used for deep tissue imaging and early screening of diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. He attempted to combine the functionality of two proteins, one of which binds to the surface of wounded/inflamed cells and one that is a bioluminescent enzyme. The goal was to make the fusion protein as small as possible to maximize efficiency while retaining the proper binding and catalytic functionalities. Dylan Reil, senior, participated in the University of Miami’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program this past summer. The research internship was funded by the National Ca c r Institute and h ’s working in the Biochemistry and Molec lar Biology department in the University of Miami Miller School of Medici e. During his time in the program, he lived on the University of Miami's main academic campus in Coral Gables. He completed research full-ti e and attended daily career workshops/events that were sche uled in the pr gram. His project was to synth size a new fusion protein tha could potentially be used for deep tissue imaging and early screening of di ases lik Crohn's disease and ulcerative c litis. He attempted to combine the function lity of two proteins, one of which binds o the surface of wounded/inflamed cells and one tha is a bioluminesce t nzyme. The goal was t make the fusion protein as small as possible to maxi ize f iciency while retaining the proper binding and catalytic functionalities.