Katlynn Carter, ’16 Biology
Current occupation: I’m pursuing a Master of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Bonn, Germany, with an expected graduation year of 2018.
Why was your CI major a good choice? Biology is a passion of mine. It’s also a “safe” major for someone who is unsure about whether to pursue a medical career or a science career, because there are many great career options in both fields with this major. I went to CI expecting to pursue medical school, but instead scientific research became my passion.
How did CI prepare you for admission to grad school? I learned important techniques in the general biology curriculum, but I gained the most from applying those concepts through undergraduate research. The skills I obtained outside of the classroom were essential to my admission to the University of Bonn. The entrance exam I had to take even had an open-ended question about my knowledge of PCR (polymerase chain reaction), which was the focus of my research during my final semester of my senior year!
What are your future goals? I am interested in research of the human brain, but I cannot pinpoint my future direction right now. I hope that the graduate program will guide me through some career possibilities that I could be very happy working in. Whether I go back to medical school or pursue more of a clinical, therapeutic realm of research is still up in the air.
What’s fun about studying biology? Scientific research spoke to me the moment I got involved with it. I’ve always been one for puzzles and answering questions, despite the tedious work it may take to reach an answer. This is essentially all that scientific research consists of: a pursuit to answer small questions that contribute to a bigger issue. The endless possibilities make research so much fun. It’s a ton of trial and error that sometimes leads to seemingly insignificant observations that have huge impacts. It’s very exciting!
What was the best thing about CI? The size and connection with fellow peers, professors and faculty give CI a really special quality. When I sought help, I received it and when I sought mentorship and guidance, there were always open doors. It’s such an uplifting, friendly campus full of people who want success on all fronts. I never thought a small campus would be my cup of tea, but connections I made at CI, I hold very dear to my heart.
What were the most memorable or rewarding projects you were involved in at CI? Strangely enough, some of the most memorable and rewarding projects for me were ones that didn’t involve science! While I had a lot of intrinsic motivation to complete my science assignments, the projects that involved heavy reading and writing were very stressful because they didn’t come naturally to me. My senior year English 107 assignment for Dr. Clifton Justice was probably the most rewarding. I had to write about the “Sponsors of My Literacy” and the people who encouraged and hindered my educational growth. This turned out to be a very emotional project for me, as I searched deep to find who had shaped me to be the hypercritical-yet-successful student I am today. I put a piece of myself (including sweat and tears) into that project. I’m very thankful for it.