Sydney Hwang is a junior double majoring in Chemistry and Economics. She was awarded a Fall 2018 Conference Grant which she used to attend the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
This past November I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Indianapolis, IN. I enjoyed not only presenting my research to scholars in my field, but also networking with a plethora of passionate and driven science students. The conference offered various workshops that were attractive to undergraduate students, as they covered topics such as time management, applying to graduate school, writing an engaging personal statement, career pathways in science, and navigating mentor relationships. My favorite workshop was about the imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern in which one doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” I was surprised to see that almost everyone in the room raised their hands when asked if they were experiencing imposter syndrome. Students, scientists, and professors shared their thoughts about feeling that they did not belong in the sciences, and the speaker facilitated exercises to help the crowd overcome this phenomenon.
For my presentation, I talked about my past summer research experience exploring therapeutics for cardiac arrhythmia by participating in the AMGEN Scholars program at Washington University in St. Louis. The purpose of my research was to determine whether the extracellular domain of the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel’s β3 subunit is essential in β3’s interaction with DIII voltage-sensing domain in regulating channel gating kinetics. Engaging in full-time research for 10 weeks was an experience somewhat parallel to the life of a graduate student, and this experience solidified my desire to pursue a PhD in the sciences. I loved discussing my results with the judges, as they were experts in my field and were able to give valuable feedback regarding potential interpretations and future directions other than ones I had already proposed. It was interesting to look at my research from other scientists’ lenses.
Besides presenting my research and having discussions with experienced scholars in my field, I loved spending time in the exhibition halls. Hundreds of graduate programs and employers were available to network with students and answer questions from potential applicants. Here I met representatives from schools and companies that I’ve had interest in for a long time, and even discovered new institutions that I had not known about before. I also made connections with peers who inspired me with their enthusiasm for science and innovation. The conference also had engaging keynote speakers who empowered young scientists to continue pursuing their passions. The most memorable speaker was a female Latina scientist who did not give up on her love for discovery even after she became completely blind. She was a woman of color with a disability, yet she proudly embraced her identity and did not give up on pursuing what she loved doing. She embodied hope, perseverance, and strength, and inspired countless minority students by convincing them that they belonged in the sciences and should not give up on their dreams.
Overall, I had a phenomenal experience at the ABRCMS conference, and would strongly encourage any individual interested in promoting diversity and inclusion in the sciences to attend this conference. It was an experience that enabled me to reflect on my journey so far as a scientist and think deeply about how I wanted to shape my scientific career in the future.
Visit the Undergraduate Research Programs website to learn more about applying for Conference Grants.
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