Twenty-five students from eight 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.
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 undergraduate institution’s infrastructure and increase its capacity to conduct cutting-edge biomedical and behavioral research.
Today, we meet Richie Nelson, one of the new BRIN scholars on campus.
What is the name of your hometown?
I come from Sturgis, S.D.
What are you majoring in and where are you attending college?
I am majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
What should we know about you?
I have a great personality. I have a good sense of humor and get along with most anyone. I like to do anything outdoors, including riding my bike. Other times, I just like to sit down with a good book.
What or who influenced your interest in science?
I have always been interested in science. Bill Nye the science guy sure helped a lot, though.
What is it about science that excites you?
Science excites me because it delves into the deep unknown. Science is a tool we use to observe and define nature and the world around us. Because of this observation, we can use nature to our advantage, which has resulted in much of the technology we use today. Science is sweet!
Will you pursue a career in science? If so, what do you hope to accomplish?
I have been considering either graduate school or applying to a forensic science program. If I do either, I hope to accomplish something that can generally benefit the human race, or at least make a difference in the lives of other people.
Why is it important to have programs like BRIN?
Science can be something like a “Catch 22.” In order to work professionally in a lab or something, you need experience. However, companies tend to only hire those with experience, leaving it hard for those with no experience to gain experience. It’s a vicious cycle, really. The INBRE program is great because it gives me two full years of experience within different lab environments that graduate schools and companies really like.