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John Olley |
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 John Olley, one of the new BRIN scholars on campus.
What should we know about you?
I am a third year undergraduate biology major at Creighton University. I was born in Philadelphia and grew up on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. I played baseball competitively through high school and did not play during college because I wanted to focus on my education.
What or who influenced your interest in science?
I have always loved science, from animals to space, and I knew since my early teenage years that I wanted to be a scientist, especially after taking advanced placement biology during my junior year at Leilehua High School.
What is it about science that excites you?
With the sequencing of the human genome and that of many other animals moving forward, I am excited to get involved in these studies and ultimately would like to focus on the new field of evolutionary development.
Why is it important to have programs like BRIN?
I chose to participate in the BRIN program because it is the ideal opportunity for aspiring scientists in Nebraska to gain priceless research experience and work with some of the best professors and researchers of our time. I hope to gain the techniques and the ability to think in a way that will allow me to position myself at the forefront of the current scientific frontier, especially in regards to developmental genetics. I also hope to continue on the graduate school and pursue a Ph.D, eventually assuming a research/teaching position at a university.