Twenty-four undergraduate students are spending the summer conducting research.
They are called INBRE scholars and are part of the largest grant in UNMC history.
Today we meet Rachel Lukowicz of Littleton, Colo., a junior at Doane College studying biology and psychology, with ambitions to go into a neuroscience graduate program.
Has science always been a part of your life?
I have always been curious by nature, fascinated with problems and how to answer them, and always asking why. So, I suppose yes. However, I originally went to college as an English education major, for I had a great love for reading and writing. Within a few weeks, though, my curiosity drew me back into the sciences, and I have found a home in the discipline.
How is it important to you?
Science is important to me, as it satisfies and fuels my curiosity. I love being able to answer and solve problems and putting in hard work to do so. It is important to me because it allows me to grow as an individual, always pushing me to search deeper for the truth.
Why did you choose to participate in the INBRE program?
I chose to participate in the INBRE program because of my interest in research, and in particular, biomedical science. I also believe strongly in the importance of encouraging undergraduate students to participate in research, especially in fields that they may have not been exposed to.
What do you hope to gain from the program?
In all honestly, I just want to learn as much as I can! I have a wonderful advisor who is teaching me many new things, from basic anatomical structures of the brain, to new lab methods. I love to learn, and I just want to come out of the program with greater knowledge, understanding and appreciation for neuroscience.