2019 Cohort Experience

From left to right: Peter Misko, Kristy Waters, Nykiera Dixon, & Michael Hilvert

Student Testimonials

     "There is no better way to describe my summer research experience in Paris than through a lens of growth. Being in a new job, in a new country, and experiencing a new culture for the first time challenged me in many unexpected ways. I saw myself become more confident, independent, and curious than I had been before. Working in a wet lab taught me essential skills that directly applied to my major and career. Being a part of the research process showed me where my education is rooted and the larger perspective of being a scientific researcher in the academic world. Living in France, in the heart of Paris, showed me a beautiful and unforgettable culture that provided many memorable experiences and taught me so much about the world.

     The experience is demanding; this is truly a full time, research position. Working in the lab, essentially as an independent student, was difficult. There were still long nights, difficult experiments, and the frustration that often accompanies any research experience. These long hours were balanced well with a summer of traveling to new countries and exploring the ins and outs of Paris. The lab was well within walking distance of the heart of the city. This provided us with the ability to walk through the city streets during lunch, hop on the metro after work and explore famous sites, or even just have picnics in front of the Eiffel tower as often as we wanted. Free weekends were opportunities to travel across Europe, where we visited multiple countries, witnessed unbelievable sites and history, and made many connections around the world. For me, this experience was the perfect opportunity to travel, work, and learn things about myself that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. My summer in the Paris lab was a formative experience in personal and professional journey."

Kristy Waters

Biology Major

 

     "To preface everything, going into this summer I had no previous research experience and absolutely no grasp of the French language. The Paris Summer Research Experience was perhaps the most positive work experiences I’ve ever had. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone, forcing me to grow both inside and outside the lab. It instilled upon me a level of confidence that I had not previously had going into the trip. The growth I experienced can be seen in my tentativeness to go across the street to buy soap the very first day by myself, to not thinking twice while going out on my own to explore Paris by the end of the trip. This trip helped me realize the benefits of trying new things and experiences while trusting your own abilities in doing so. Using the tools that Xavier and my past experiences have equipped me with, I was able to successfully navigate my way through this summer. Using the knowledge acquired from my courses as tools to approach a goal was a tremendously positive experience. Working in Dr. Ahmad’s lab allowed me to have experience working as part of a team all working toward a common goal. My lab partner and myself faced situations in which we needed to adapt the methods we had previously been using in order to meet deadlines. This experience of thinking on your feet is invaluable and highly applicable to any avenue of work you may pursue, whether it is medical school or business related. Working in collaboration with the chemistry/biophysics team also added depth to the experience considering we each contributed data to a common project regarding phosphorylation of cryptochrome and conformational changes under certain temperatures. Being located in Paris also allowed for convenient travel to the neighboring countries surrounding France via train. Being able to experience these new countries and cultures from weekend to weekend added a whole other level to this experience. In summary, this trip gave me perspective of what it takes to conduct research while allowing the cohort and myself to explore not only Paris, but Europe as well."

Peter Misko

Biology Major

 

     "The NSF Paris research experience was extremely valuable to me twofold. On one hand, the research experience was enriching intellectually, and I felt that I was constantly forced to think on my feet and problem solve. I am undoubtedly a better researcher and scientist because of all the time I spent in the lab this summer. While it is a ton of work, the work done is rewarding and satisfying in the long run.

     Obviously, the experience is far from limited to the laboratory. Just outside the window of the lab, we could see the Seine, and we often walked there for lunch. French culture was omnipresent in every aspect of life this summer, from the food to the architecture. I grew so much in terms of my own appreciation for diversity of thought and culture, and I have a much greater love for travel. Overall, this experience was invaluable to me, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a place to grow as not only a scientist, but as a person."

Michael Hilvert

Biophysics Major

 

     "My experience as a member of the 2019 Paris NSF Cohort was life changing. I made life-long connections with peers that I had known before, but never really interacted with outside of a school setting. This experience helped me grow and learn to work with individuals much different from myself. Being able to be completely immersed in another culture allowed me to see the differences between American culture and French culture, while learning the ins and outs of Paris. Working with the wonderful people in the lab enabled an interactive learning experience for both ourselves and the members of the lab. We learned from each other, and asked questions when we were confused about certain cultural norms that the other person practiced. In the beginning, we didn’t know much about life in Paris, but by the end of the trip, we were expert metro navigators and knew the best cafés to visit in order to get delicious duck confit! We learned and grew from interacting with each other, and I don’t think this would have been possible without pushing us outside of our comfort zone.

     Personally, I changed a lot as a result of this trip. I went there, hating walking and the usual tourist sight-seeing, but Peter’s enthusiastic attitude made me eager to become immersed in the culture and art, even if that meant walking 22 miles in one day! Kristy helped me see the bright side and not focus solely on working in the lab, but really enjoying my time there, regardless of the frustrations I was experiencing. This experience widened my horizon and taught me to cherish each and every opportunity that I’m awarded. We traveled a lot and experienced many different cultures other than French culture. This was my first time traveling outside of the country, and people were nervous that I’d be home sick, but I enjoyed my time in Paris and would not have traded it for anything. Being able to receive and provide support to others made this experience impactful and will definitely help me in my future endeavors."

Nykiera Dixon

Chemistry Major