On May 29, the Nebraska Institutional Development Award Program (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program welcomed 28 undergraduate students from across Nebraska as they embark on their summer research experience at Creighton University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and UNMC.
The breakdown of this year’s 28 INBRE Scholars include:
- Representatives of nine colleges and universities;
- 18 women; and
- 10 men.
Below Timothy Reznicek, a bioinformatics major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, talks about his INBRE experience.
What should we know about you?
I have lived on a horse ranch since I was a second grader, fostering my love for animals and the outdoors. I am the oldest child in a family of eight, and we go on road trips around the country most summers. I went to school at Millard North High School and wrestled to maintain my physical health.
What or who influenced your interest in science?
My interest in science was cultivated akin to a snowball rolling down a hill. The earliest I can remember being vaguely interested in science was while watching Bill Nye episodes. I continued to grow interest through classes such as my AP chemistry course, as well as having a wide access to the great outdoors. I also grew up loving video games, gravitating toward PC gaming as a teenager to interact with my friends from school. This began my fascination with computer science. I eventually discovered that bioinformatics combined the best of physical science with computer science.
What is it about science that excites you?
The idea of discovering how things work since before humans existed is what excites me most about science. There are bodily systems and microscopic interactions that have worked for an incredibly long time to keep us alive, and we are just beginning to understand the inner workings of some of them. Discovering new things and telling others about them is incredibly exciting to me.
Will you pursue a career in science? If so, what do you hope to accomplish?
Yes, I will pursue a career in science. I hope to focus on building the current understanding of protein-protein interactions and predictive protein function methods by utilizing bioinformatics algorithms.
Why is it important to have programs like INBRE?
Programs like INBRE allow students to experience research and determine if they are interested in pursuing it as a career. With many students lacking solid financial backing, INBRE allows students to put great effort into their research, without having to suffer economically.