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<\/a><\/p>\nIt has been a few years since I graduated from the University of Scranton with majors in Biology and Philosophy, but the opportunities I had as an undergraduate continue to influence my career growth and goals. When I first attended the University in 2014, I knew that I was not interested in becoming a doctor or following the Pre-Med track, but I was still interested in exploring different topics in biology. I found that the Genetics and Animal Behavior courses were some of my favorites, and that I developed an interest in environmental studies. I am grateful that my biology electives let me refine my interests while also preparing me for a career in the sciences.<\/p>\n
Despite developing an interest in environmental studies, I did not immediately pursue\u00a0it as a career.\u00a0Instead, I entered the pharmaceutical industry because I knew it was an important field where I could apply the skills I gained at Scranton, while still having room for career growth. My first job after graduation was\u00a0a Data Analyst at PDS Life Sciences. This role focused on the FDA\u2019s standards for electronic data submission and toxicology studies. I was responsible for taking client data and formatting it to be compliant with FDA standards while accurately representing the study data. While I enjoyed my work here, I found that I was interested in exploring other areas within pharmaceuticals that were more hands-on. I switched to my current role as a Quality Control Analyst in a chemistry lab at Sanofi, where I test different properties of drugs and drug products. The work that I do here is important to ensuring the safety of patients and it is interesting to learn about different lab equipment like HPLCs. Nevertheless, I still felt drawn toward the environmental field.<\/p>\n
I am happy to announce that this Fall I will begin working toward my M.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology (E3B) at Columbia University. This is a highly multidisciplinary program, meaning I can continue to explore different environmental topics, like environmental policy, while developing marketable skills related to statistics, data science, and computer programming. This program also has a research component, and I am excited by the opportunity to join a lab that studies the genetic influences on animal behavior, such as aggression in betta fish, or parental care in mice. While I am still not sure the exact career path I want to take, I know that this program will let me dive deeper into my interest areas, and that it will help to open new doors. I am grateful that my Scranton education has helped me reach this point, and although I am still unsure of my future career, I am optimistic and excited to start this next chapter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi, I’m Michelle Uminski, 2017 graduate of Scranton’s Biology Program. It has been a few years since I graduated from the University of Scranton with majors in Biology and Philosophy, but the opportunities I had as an undergraduate continue to … Continue reading