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Texas REU: BME CUReS Cancer

reflections

, Filed Under: 2015, cancer, reflections, texas4000

Cancer Community

image1Millions of people are directly, or indirectly, impacted by cancer.

A cancer community is one of the many reasons why the fight against cancer has such a great impact.

As humans our instinct is to form groups to optimize our survival. We form communities around topics that impact us as a whole. Cancer impacts the entire human race not just one subgroup. Communities allow us to feel safe and have a sense of belonging. Feeling that you belong somewhere where people share the same struggle as you, gives you hope that life will turn out well. We thrive off of the happiness and hopes of our fellow people. When a researcher is having a bad day there is always someone there to help. When a cancer patient is having a round of chemo, there are support groups for them. No one should have to go through the grueling process of cancer therapy, and for that reason we have formed a cancer community.

After skyping with the Texas 4000 Rockies team while they were in Big Fork, MT (photo above), it was clearly evident that they were one big family. They look out for each other both on and off the road. They travel in groups because no one person can ride 4000 miles without help. The riders have each other’s back so that no one gets hurt and/or left behind, and that is why having a cancer community is so important.

-Stefani Maris, LSU

, Filed Under: 2015, learning, reflections

Mindset and The Emperor of All Maladies

During the course of the program, we are encouraged to read two books: Mindset and The Emperor of All Maladies to bring us more awareness about ourselves and the complicated disease of cancer. Mindset explores the power of our mindset while Emperor traverses through the story of cancer.

Minset

Reading through the first few chapters of Mindset has taught me so much about myself, as cliché as that may sound. By breaking up the two types of mindsets, fixed and growth, Dweck highlights parts that I haven’t connect before. I found myself, while reading her book, constantly thinking about situations that I have encountered. Using the short quizzes she describes in the beginning, I initially rated myself in between the two extremes, leaning more toward the growth mindset. However, as I continued reading, more and more examples of my fixed mindset appeared. As I transitioned from high school to college this past year, the section on that transition really related with me. My frustrations and worries about my activities highlighted my fixed mindset side. By reflecting on past experiences, I am learning more about my tendencies to lean toward the fixed mindset at times.

With this increased understanding about myself, I will hopefully be able to have a more growth mindset.

Relating this back to the Emperor book, the different scientists practiced such a growth mindset that they were able to see past failures and to work toward more advancements.  A growth mindset can allow us to achieve things beyond what we know by ways of persevering and pushing our boundaries.

-Ming Nguyen, Rice

, Filed Under: 2015, cancer, graduate school, reflections, research

Research as a Career & Going to Graduate School

I have been asked many times by others regarding the question of post-college plans. At first, I hadnobel prize seal a vague sense of what I want to do for my future. However, engaging in undergraduate research labs made me realize doing research and performing experiments are actually very fun. It matches my learning styles and fosters me to become an independent learner. I developed important bench techniques, useful notes-taking and critical thinking skills. Moreover, my creative capability and knowledge about science were also expanded. In my opinion, research is process of learning; it is the matter of coming up with a question, applying the known concepts to experiments, and discovering new theories.

Through reading the book The Emperor of All Maladies, I was extremely inspired by the never-give-up spirits of all scientists. Although cancer has the worst history out of all diseases, researchers are still trying different approaches to treat and cure it. If it’s not for research, there won’t be any chemotherapies or drugs that are currently saving millions of lives.

Research really has a huge impact in the world.

Thus it gave me a solid reasoning to go for graduate school to receive more trainings and dedicate my career in science and research.

–Zhiying Zhu, CCNY