“I applied because I wanted to learn the state-of-the-art methods in the field, and gain access to knowledge and others’ expertise that I couldn’t otherwise.”
"It was absolutely amazing to be able to speak with experienced researchers at the symposium about the science, and career paths in science. Attending the symposium helped confirmed my decision to pursue a career in academic medicine."
Blog
Orlando, Florida
Host University: National Institutes of Health
Home University: Harvard University
Amgen Scholar Year: 2016
Major: Human and Developmental Regenerative Biology
"The time I spent in Munich was invaluable. My time in the lab went by too quickly and I deeply enjoyed learning techniques and doing experiments."
Blog
Milan, Italy
Host University: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Home University: Humanitas University
Amgen Scholar Year: 2016
Major: Medicine and Surgery
Expected Graduation: 2019
Journey to Science
How did you become interested in science?
I have always been curious about human biology and have had a desire to help others. This has motivated me to study human diseases and to pursue a career in which I could help others through medicine and scientific research.
"When I heard about the Amgen Scholars Program, I was immediately drawn to the fact that it would enable me to see if life in the lab was a fit for me."
"I felt a sense of community among my peers in the Amgen Scholars Program. Everyone was in the same boat, trying to figure out what they wanted to do for careers."
Blog
Host University: Washington University in St. Louis
My mom is a scientist. She carried out microbiology research as a graduate student, and later as a postdoc, for most of my upbringing. I would go to the lab with her, and I also remember working intensely on school science projects. I liked microbiology, but I ultimately became interested in neuroscience because some of my relatives had conditions that affected the brain.
My grandfather was a pharmacologist, and he told me about his work. I have always dreamt that one day I would create my own drug and it would help people and make a difference in the world. Science is what I enjoyed most in school. While at university, I wanted to combine applied math, physics, biology and chemistry to benefit from that knowledge. I can’t imagine my life without science in it.
