Hey guys! My name is Sydney and I am a sophomore studying neuroscience. I picked DIY Diagnostics because my FIG professor recommended Dr. Riedel for being very open to letting students pursue their own interests, I knew that the lab is related to healthcare in some aspects, and it is… read more
2017
Best of Luck, Cristian A. Cruz
As a Public Health and Human Biology major, I am interested in studying infections diseases specially those transmitted by vectors. During the application process to UT, I read about how undergraduate students were developing do-it-yourself diagnostics for mosquitoes in the Freshman Research Initiative. After reading the article, I decided to… read more
Enthusiasm and Community!
Coming into college, I always knew that I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. After learning about the Freshman Research Initiative during a University tour, I was hooked on the idea of undergraduate research, and wanted to challenge myself in the hope that I would not… read more
Not Just Books and Computers
I chose the DIY Diagnostics team because I knew that it would have me working in the realm of the medical field. I knew that working in this stream would help open my eyes to the world of medical research, and to become inspired to create simple, at-home diagnostic tests… read more
Self-Discovery
When I was originally looking at the different FRI streams as a freshman, I didn’t really have a particular area of research that I felt very passionately about, but I did have some interest in the areas of biological and medical research. Coming into FRI, I also didn’t have any… read more
This Lab is at the Forefront of the DIY revolution
Many students perceive research as an interesting yet frustrating task that has little relevance to their life in the future. Although very frustrating at times, research in any scenario teaches valuable skills that are useful in one’s future aspirations regardless of the chosen career path. I had experience with some… read more
Diagnostic App for Depression
FRI allows freshmen CNS students to participate in a research lab with the help of mentors and a research educator. There is a wide array of streams available to choose from which teach specialized skills in chemistry, biology, computer science, etc. As a college freshman, I didn’t know what research… read more
Surge of Confidence
My DIY Diagnostics experience was a little different than most. I was introduced to the DIY stream in the early summer of 2017 through the ARI (Advanced Research Initiative). I chose this stream, as I felt it would give me the freedom to learn how to solve real-world issues in… read more
Learned that Research is not Suited for Me
After touring many labs last fall trying to pick a stream, I finally decided to tour the DIY Diagnostic lab. I had heard a lot about it and was eager to learn more after being introduced to the stream during the picnic. As I went through the tour, the mentors… read more
“Unconventional”
When tasked with selecting an FRI stream I felt very conflicted because lab science had never been a place of comfort for me. My relationship with my identity as a science student was on uneven ground, and I felt out of place among the hoards of Pre Med students who… read more