1. ThinkingbackI can’t rememberatime where Iwasn’tfascinatedbyscience.Fromaveryyoung
age myparentsinstilledinme apassionforlearningandunderstandingthe worldaroundme.If Ihadto
thinkof a catalyst,the sparkthat made the worldof science real tome,it wouldbe whenIwasin 5th
grade doinga current event reportonthe CDC and itsdirectorof the time Julie Gurberding.Idon’trecall
whatthe article wasaboutbut reading itestablishedinme aresolve tolearnas muchas I could. Every
disciplinehas itsMekahwithinthe UnitedStates,some more evidentthanothers.Forperformingarts
itsNewYork, fortechnology there’sSiliconValleyandforPublicHealththe CDCisthe epicenterof all
informationandresearch.Readingthatarticle nearly15yearsago not onlyhelpedme tounderstand
that science wasa worlduntoitself butalsoasa blackadolescent,there wasaplace forme withinthat
world.Andthusbeganmy journeyintothe worldof science andresearch.
Evenbefore readingthatarticle somanyyearsago I was readingbooksbyMichael Crichtonand
RobinCook,hard science fictionbooks.Mymom wasa librarianat the time soshe made ither goal to
expose mybrotherandI to as much as possible;andthoughIdidn’tunderstandthe processesbeing
explainedinthe booksIunderstood keywordswhichpushed me toask more questionsand searchfor
more answers. My ideasonwhat I wantedtodo whenIgrew up were greatlyinformedbythe booksI
read.WhenI was 12 I wantedto become aforensicpathologistafterreadingBlackNotice byPatricia
Cornwell,thenanepidemiologistafterreadingAndromedaStrainbyCrichtonatage 14, laterI had
dreamsof workingforthe FBIafter readingDarklyDreamingDexterbyJefferyLindsay.All of these
booksbroughtout of me a passiontolearnand helpedme tounderstandthe dynamicnature of the
humanpsyche.We are forevergrowing andchangingyourmindisa part of beinghuman.Choosinga
careerpath taught me howdynamicI wasbut alsohelpedtohone inon whatI wantedto dothrough
self analysis.
I endedupat GSU majoringinNursingwiththe hopesof becomingaforensicnurse ornurse
practitioner.Itooka varietyof coursesthat broadenedmyknowledge of the humanbodyandhowit
worked.AftertakingaMicrobiologyclassandworkingatthe CDC I beganto missthe science Ilovedasa
child.IdecidedIwantedgoto graduate school afterI completednursingtogetmyMaster’s in
toxicology.ItwasthenthatI hit myfirstroad block— the Testof Essential AcademicSkills,the entrance
examintonursingschool.Ihad takenittwo timesandcouldn’tgetan acceptable score.Itookthe third
rejectionasa sign.I wasn’twhere Iwassupposedtobe.My heartwasn’tinnursingand I hadknowni t.I
tooka yearoff to workand collectmyself andaftertalkingtoa professorIlookedintoPublicHealth.
PublicHealthencompassedeverythingIwantedtodo.I had a passionforlearningaboutpathogensand
toxinsandtheireffectsonthe humanbodyas well asa desire tomake a lastingchange.
I foundthat UGA was the onlyschool thatofferedanundergraddegree inPublicHealthand
decidedtomake the switch.Ichose Environmental HealthScience overPromotionsbecauseIfeltit
encapsulatedsomany of the ideasandconceptsI wantedto delve intoasa studentandyoung
professional.Environmental preservationhadbeenaninterestof mine especiallyinreference tomarine
life andthe oceanicecosystems. LastsemesterItookan interestingcourse calledOceansinPerilthat
outlinedthe issuesfacingthe oceanfromsealevel rise andoceanacidificationtolossof coral reefsand
overfishing.Alongwiththatcourse Ienrolledinaninternshipfocusedonwaterqualitywithinthe
Oconee watershed.ThroughthisinternshipIgainedalotof practical knowledgelikefiltration

2. techniques,colonycountingandstatistical analysisusingRandPrism.I alsolearnedsome career
buildingskillsaswell ashowtoorganize publicoutreachprograms,scientificpostersandproposals.I’m
workingonanotherinternshipnowwiththe same instructorperformingPCRandDNA extractions with
vibrioisolates.While I’vegainedalotof practical skillsfromthese experiencesIhave gottentoknow
myself aswell.I’ve realizedthatIenjoy learningmechanismsandprocessesforhow phenomenalike
climate change andoceanacidificationwork;Ialsofeel mostathome doinglabworkand researchso
it’sonlyfittingthatI pursue a careerdoing justthat.