INBRE scholars on campus – meet Marcelle Strydom

Twenty-six students from 10 different undergraduate and community college programs have joined the Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)/ Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN) program.









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Marcelle Strydom

Established in 2001, the BRIN program was created to expose students to serious biomedical research, build a statewide biomedical research infrastructure between undergraduate and graduate institutions and to strengthen each undergraduate institution’s infrastructure and increase its capacity to conduct cutting-edge biomedical and behavioral research.

Today we meet Marcelle Strydom, a junior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Who is Marcelle Strydom?

I am a 19 year old who just finished my sophomore year at UNK. I love my major and enjoy learning more and more about all the different sciences. I love staying busy and enjoy spending time with friends and family. I am currently playing tennis at UNK and our team recently made it to the Division II National Tournament. Sports are a great way for me to relax and focus on something other than school work. I hope to one day move into a career in the medical field and help people like so many have helped me throughout the years.

Has science always been a part of your life?

Yes. My mom was a radiographer and my dad was a farmer, so I grew up learning a lot about the human body and agricultural sciences.

How is it important to you?

Science is important to me because it is how I grew up and what I want to go into for a career. It has taught me a lot about how most things in the universe function and we are able to live day by day. I want to one day use science to help others further their lives.

Why did you choose to participate in the INBRE program?

I wanted to participate in this program because it offered a new insight into a possible future career. The program will teach me a lot about research and how to use it for career options.

What do you hope to gain from the program?

I hope to gain knowledge and understanding of how to work in a research lab and how to go about doing a research project to hopefully one day complete my own work in hopes of furthering science.