Personal Statement Of Educational Goals

My educational goals are to pursue a doctoral degree in plant biochemistry and molecular biology. I also desire to incorporate my passion for photosynthesis and plants into my education. I desire to make huge impacts in the field of science and to push the bounds of what is known. My motivation for seeking a research experience originates from this desire and my passion to explore. Ever since my childhood, I have delighted in learning about wild plants and science. Now, I find that these enjoyments can be realized through research experiences that are striving to help the world and widen what is known. I find it exciting to have the opportunity to be trained by and work with a scientific cohort at a highly respected institution. I have had

I used to obsessively search for information on wild plants that were edible and had medicinal properties. Now, I find that I am continually amazed by research on the applications of the biochemistry within plants in general. I was, and still am, enthralled by the idea that so much knowledge and novelty is within the organisms that I had appreciated since I was young. It has been a combination of events that have led to my educational goals of pursuing a doctoral degree and post-doctoral education in biochemistry. I also desire to incorporate my passion for plants and photosynthesis into my education. In my researching of the university, I have found that participating in a research position at North Carolina State University would be invaluably rewarding to me for many

I believe that research at the North Carolina State University internship would advance my skills and knowledge far beyond what they are now. Upon transitioning into undergraduate studies, I had the unique opportunity to begin research with an upperclassman before my first semester began at Otterbein University. This first project was focused on alanine scanning mutagenesis of a particular serine thought to be involved in phosphorylation of the protein Perilipin 5. From this experience, I learned basic molecular techniques such as PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction endonuclease analysis, and chemically competent cell transformations. The privilege to begin my own research project followed soon afterwards. I was awarded the Bert and Jane Horn Award to conduct this research. This independent project had the aims of finding the structure and describing the characteristics of the amino terminal domain of Perilipin 5. From this experience, I have learned about many other areas of biochemistry and molecular biology including bioinformatics, primer design, TA cloning, DNA gel extraction, nickel affinity chromatography, BCA assays, and SDS PAGE gel electrophoresis. I also learned how much I enjoy the process of thinking through an obstacle and designing a means of overcoming it. I feel as though I have a good foundation of research techniques, but I yearn to learn more