A TRIP Into My Life: Introducing Myself by Dakshvir Salaria

Hi everyone! My name is Dakshvir Salaria, and I’m currently a sophomore at Penncrest High School. I decided to get involved with TRIP because being able to conduct real, proper research has always been a goal of mine. Most of my experiences with science came from classes and experiments that were structured for you, so the idea of having the chance to do my own independent research was something that definitely stuck with me. 

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Outside of the lab, I love exploring lots of different interests. I’m currently teaching myself the basics of photography, which actually has made me notice the smaller details in life. I also love being outside and spending time in nature, whether it’s just going out and taking a hike while listening to music or just observing what's around me. I love learning more about science every day. As a member of Envirothon for my school, I get to do deep dives into Environmental Science and Ecology, a passion of mine. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, learning new things, swimming, playing video games, and hanging out with my friends and my family. 

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My first day in the lab was honestly really fun, we went over program details and I learned how to use micropipettes. We also prepped our fly food, which was also great because I got to explore the lab a little bit while doing so. I was still figuring out how to do things, but my instructors were still very supportive and didn’t hesitate to help when asked. Finally, we wrapped things up by putting our fly food away and taking a vial full of fruit flies to observe for the week!

​After my first day in the lab, I’m super excited to see what TRIP brings for me. I'm looking forward to building new lab skills, learning from my instructors, and most importantly I’m ready to make mistakes and use them to become a stronger scientist.