Department of Biology News and Blogs

Hi, I’m Elizabeth, a rising senior Biology major. This summer I am living and working in Southern California!

I am working as an intern for Dr. Nicole Rafferty with her laboratory group at the University of California, Riverside, working on pollination ecology projects in the White Mountains. I am assisting a PhD student on his project as well as designing and working on an independent project of my own. In the short time I have been here, I have already learned so much.

I would have never applied or pursued this opportunity if it weren’t for my community at Scranton. My laboratory professor helped me to find this opportunity, my biology professors encouraged me to apply and Career Services helped support me financially.

The University of Scranton has continually worked to enhance my college experience and challenged me to be a lifelong learner, both inside and outside of the classroom. I came to Scranton with no aspirations or idea that I would love scientific research so much. At Scranton, I was able to explore my newfound passion and now I am able to work on plant/ pollinator alpine research in California.

Thanks to Scranton, I have been able to excel as a student, a research scientist and a person.

Hi all, this is Sophia Monroe, rising senior Biology major!

This summer, I am taking part in the Boyce Thompson Institute’s Plant Genome Research Program at Cornell University, through a paid REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) funded by the National Science Foundation. I’ll be here in the Plant Science department from June 3rd to August 9th.

Working in the laboratory of Dr. Margaret Frank, my project focuses on detecting leaf vein patterns through fluorescent microscopy and machine learning. Our goal is to create a software-based mechanism for autonomously identifying fluorescent leaf veins. This will be utilized in plant grafting, by providing more information on the success of a graft and by more efficiently identifying issues in grafted plants.

My Scranton experience has been a great setup for this fellowship. It enabled me to grow as a student and scientist, develop my scientific interests, and refine my career goals, which helped prepare me to land and succeed in the REU program.

This REU has been a tremendous way to experience what research is really like. It’s also helping me to prepare for graduate school. In addition to working in the laboratory, I’ve taken part in workshops and seminars for science-communication and bioinformatics. I’ve improved and broadened my laboratory techniques, honed my communication skills, made new professional connections in biology, and much more.

I’m very thankful for this opportunity and I’m excited to continue this work for the rest of the summer!

Even though I am only a rising sophomore, I find it important to capitalize on any opportunity that will allow me to become more familiar with my area of study.

Considering that I am a Physiology major in the Physical Therapy Program, it became clear to me that a summer internship in PT would be beneficial in preparing me for my future. Through a mutual friend of a local physical therapist, I was able to obtain an unpaid summer internship at Carroll Physical Therapy, an outpatient center not too far from my home in Denville, New Jersey. I’m working every Tuesday and Thursday of the summer, from 1pm to 4pm. The owner of the facility is actually a Scranton Alumnus, Daniel Carroll, who graduated in 2009 with his doctorate from the same physical therapy program that I am currently pursuing.

My first day was on June 4^th. Not having much experience in this particular field, I walked in as a blank slate, eager to learn what my future career entailed. Throughout the day, I observe the sessions that take place between the clients and the physical therapists, as clients work to regain their mobility. I learn to apply the anatomical vocabulary I acquired in school to real-life situations.

Furthermore,  I’m coming to understand how important the relationship between the doctor and the client truly is. From the start of each session, the client’s injuries and comfort dictate the entire rehabilitation process, making each interaction unique. Getting to know the patient is the key to discovering an effective treatment, and it also leads to many notable and sometimes hilarious quirks that come about in conversation.

I discovered how much the field of physical therapy aligns with my values and interests. At first, I was nervous to work at the facility, fearing that I would have to start back at square one with my whole career choice if I did not jive well with the practice. To my amazement, I flourished in the physical therapy environment. My passion grows with each session, as I learn not only what can be done to physically aid the client, but also how I can help them on an emotional and psychological level. This discovery of my social aptitude, as well as my interest in the field, is a monumental success in the grand scheme of my future as a physical therapist.

Hi all, I’m Jacob Myers, a rising junior BCMB major at Scranton. 

This Summer I am at an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program for redox biology at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. This ten week experience comes with a stipend, room and board, as well as my travel expenses paid for by the NSF. (Shout out to Drs. Hardisky and Royer for writing letters of recommendation for me, and to Dr. Foley for the research experience that helped me land the REU!)

While I’m here I will be working on better understanding the roll of Sestrin-2 in regulating cell homeostasis by initiating the degradation of damaged mitochondria.  Wish me luck; I hope to be able to tell you more about it by the end of the summer.