When I was deciding which stream to join as the first semester of college was wrapping up, I attended several open houses for different streams, but none captured my attention quite like DIY Diagnostics with Dr. Riedel waving around a pregnancy test and telling us about the million dollar industry that is at-home, or “DIY” tests. I was very interested in the idea of creating tests, normally requiring a trip to the doctor, that could save people countless amounts of time and money. Immediately, I thought of creating a test that could be used to diagnose skin cancer since I have known several people that have panicked at the sight of a mole. Throughout the first semester of DIY, we have started working on the FRIome project, in which we hope to be able to find a correlation between certain physical or psychological traits and the bacteria found in one’s mouth by collecting saliva samples. In addition, I learned how to program mobile apps. I’m definitely no Steve Jobs yet, but this summer, I was given the opportunity to start making my skin cancer diagnostic test a reality by creating an app. I still have a lot of work to do because I still have a lot to learn about programming, but I hope to have an app that will allow the user to take a picture of the suspicious area and find out if it could possibly be cancerous and warrant a trip to the doctor before going for a spot that turned out to be nothing.
I have learned a great deal by not only working on the computer science part of this stream, but also by working in the lab. I have been trained to use many machines in our laboratory and work on my favorite part: the biological sciences. I love science because no one expects you to be perfect. In fact, it is encouraged to experiment and fail miserably, because important discoveries are made in doing so–you know what doesn’t work! Not all my experiments worked out perfectly each time, but it was a learning experience. I always had the chance to redo labs, fix my mistakes, and get the results I needed. Science isn’t like English, where there are millions of grammar rules that need to be perfected; science gives you the chance to make your own rules and your own discoveries (while following the safety rules, of course!)
During one experiment, I went down to Waller Creek with two friends in the stream in order to collect a water sample. As I was trying to close my wet container of murky water, it slipped from my hands, and the lid began to float away with the current. I watched it slip away until it was finally caught between the bank and a rock. I climbed across vines, under branches, and dodged poison ivy in order to carefully reach across to retrieve it and avoid falling in. The whole time, my friends and I couldn’t stop laughing. That was definitely my favorite, yet scariest, moment I had last year. I’m looking forward to making more clumsy memories with all the great people I have made by being a member of this stream. This semester, I am hoping to continue working on my app and finally see the culmination of my efforts and research. I can see the work that we have done in the lab and on our computers really helping people in the future, and it’s a great feeling to have!