When people ask me what part of Queen’s University’s student district I live in, a lot of people are shocked to hear that I commute from Toronto’s Union Station for biweekly classes; nearly two and a half hours away by train one-way. The priceless facial expressions in response to my answer are consistent; a look of confusion, mixed with some surprise,followed by a healthy dose of skepticism.
Adventures with headlice experiments
Imposter Syndrome
Making the jump from undergraduate to graduate studies may inspire intense feelings of accomplishment, pride, happiness, and … imposterism? Newly minted graduates who are stepping into higher degree programs often report feeling like an “imposter” in a sea of other graduate students who appear to be more intelligent, more qualified, and more capable of meeting all the requirements of a graduate degree. Often, these students feel like they are a fraud, someone who does not belong in such a group of highly intelligent individuals, and that it is just a matter of time before other people realize this too. These feelings are referred to as Imposter Syndrome, which affects both female and male graduate students.
Using CRISPR in my kitchen
Clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats- or the far catchier CRISPR for short is often described as ‘precise molecular scissors’. Parts of the system were first noted over 30 years ago but only recently has it been put together as an interesting example of bacteria protecting themselves against viruses. Having genetically modified bacteria before, I was curious to try the new technology myself so I ordered the basic CRISPR kit sold by The Odin and tried it out in my kitchen!
Nafisa’s Top Ten Tips for Oral and Poster Presentations
Making the Most of Your Summer Research
Every year, thousands of undergraduates undertake summer research. Pursuing research during summer vacation allows students to experience full time research, get more work done on their projects, gain experience in new types of research, and make new friends. It can be hectic, but these summers make for an amazing time. As the school year comes to an end and undergraduates start their summer positions, I wanted to share some of my experiences and advice on how to make the most of your time this summer.
From Copy Editor to Editor-in-Chief: My Four-Year Journey at JYI
It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly four years since I first stumbled across the website for the Journal of Young Investigators. I had just started my freshman year of college and was looking for interesting organizations to get involved with. JYI caught my eye because it was an international nonprofit, allowing me to connect with other young researchers all over the globe and gain exposure to a wide variety of research topics. I decided to apply to be a Copy Editor, since this position would allow me to read papers both within and outside my own discipline and improve my skills in academic editing. At the time I had no idea that JYI would grow to become a huge part of my undergraduate career.
