Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Personal Statement

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My interest in conducting research began in high school when I took an enrichment neuroscience class at Allegheny College. Up until this point, I was adamant about becoming a physician because of my love for science and desire to help others, but this experience allowed me to expand my interests and discover other possibilities for my future career. From fall of 2015 to spring of 2016, I had the pleasure of assisting Dr. Jeff Cross with stereotactic surgery, injections, and designing and carrying out experiments. One of our main experiments tested whether bumetanide was a plausible preventative drug for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism. I really enjoyed this research, but my role in the projects was mostly observation, and I didn’t get to participate in the presentations or data analysis. Upon enrolling in college at Baylor University, I decided to join Baylor Undergraduate Research in Science and Technology (B.U.R.S.T.) during my first semester in hopes of becoming more involved in research. B.U.R.S.T. hosts scientific journal club discussions which I enjoy attending, and it has helped me seek out research opportunities. …show more content…

I want to participate in SUROP this summer because I have a strong interest in research, but I want to be able to make an informed decision about whether or not I would like to pursue it as a career. I think the firsthand experience that I would get from this program would provide me with a strong foundation from which to expand my interests and help me determine which areas of research interest me. I think the weekly seminars that are offered would help me better understand how scientific works are published and how to navigate graduate

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