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Hi everyone, my name is Amritha Sakamuri and I am so excited to be a part of TRIP @ WTHS ‘24!! I am a current sophomore at Central Bucks South High School in Warrington, PA. I applied to TRIP because I wanted to further my knowledge in hypothesis-driven research and learn how to better explain the rationale behind my findings. I am hoping to pursue a career in the medical field, and through TRIP I am able to learn about several different career pathways in medicine and gain hands-on research experience.
In school, I am involved in several clubs and activities. I am the president and co-founder of our school’s DECA chapter. Some of my specific tasks are to make sure we are up to date with all of our clearances and research how I can improve my chapter. I am a student representative in our student council, and I was the assistant editor-in-chief of our freshmen paper. Outside of school, I participate in a variety of activities including sports, music, and volunteering. I am a U.S. Figure Skating pre-silver medalist in moves in the field, and I have competed in synchronized skating events for 6 years! I am able to keep in touch with my culture through Carnatic singing. I am a Griffin College of London Level 1 Carnatic vocalist, and I am a youth leader for SEWA International, a nonprofit service organization. This past Saturday, we had our first in-lab TRIP session! From just one session I learned how to use a micropipette, calculate solutions and dilutions, make fly food, and learned how to adjust fly food to reflect certain dietary and environmental stressors. For my kickoff experiment, I am testing how Red Clover and high-sugar diets affect female fertility. In the following weeks, I will be testing how the fruit flies react to my four different vials of food (constant, drug only, stressor only, both stressor and drug). We were even able to take home a vial of about 25 fruit flies to observe daily. Best pet ever! I am so excited for what is to come in my TRIP with all of you and to be a part of the TRIP community!
I am so excited for what is to come in my TRIP with all of you and to be a part of the TRIP community!
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Within and out of the school, I participate in many activities that nurture my interests in STEM. I am the president and founder of our medical club named MedEx, where I get to share my passion with many other students! Through this club, I run our school’s HOSA chapter and help my members prepare for the upcoming competition at the state conference in March. With the support of my team and the school administration, we were successful in showcasing our school’s interest in medicine, which has resulted in the official incorporation of an Anatomy class in our school curriculum this year. I am also part of GVTutors, Science Olympiad, and Chem Olympiad. I volunteer my time at the UPenn Radnor Hospital Program, by shadowing activities in different medical departments, such as radiology and dermatology. I also enjoy working with friends and classmates in the gardening club, of which I am an officer. Our club grows plants such as sunflowers, peppers, and tulips in a garden allocated by the school. I feel that every moment I spend interacting with others develops me further as a human being. I enjoy meeting new people. I also like traveling to locations that reflect people’s dedication to what they love. One such trip was to the Bayern Munich stadium in Germany which was built as a home to one of the most successful “football” teams in the world. TRIP can teach us a unique skill that no traditional school can: how to run research. The hands-on experience at TRIP will not just improve my knowledge but also develop my skills in the process of scientific discovery. This program particularly stands out for me because it will give me the opportunity to explore research possibilities in pharmaceuticals. The first day in the lab went by too fast! Everyone here is so cool, and the instructors are so supportive! I am starting my research on the effect of Vitamin D3 and head trauma on fruit fly motility. My chemistry experience proved useful in calculating dilutions to get the proper concentration of Vitamin D3. Micropipetting made me feel like a professional, and I can’t wait to continue experiments next week!
Hi everyone! My name is Tanzeela and I am a senior at William Tennent High School. I am super excited for the upcoming weeks of getting to know everyone while learning more about the realm of scientific research! In school, I am an active participant in many clubs and activities such as the National Science Honor Society, Key Club, and the Muslim Student Association, which I founded back in my sophomore year and am now the President of. One of my most meaningful projects with the MSA was in my junior year where we created a donation drive for victims of the earthquake that struck Turkey. We had a very short time frame to plan and collect items, but within three days our community joined together and supplied numerous boxes of jackets, hand warmers, and first aid essentials. It was amazing to see the involvement and success of this donation drive, and to know that it had an impact on many lives. Aside from academics, I have several hobbies that fill up my time. One of my favorites is acrylic painting and Arabic calligraphy! I have always been a crafty person, but I took on calligraphy and painting about four years ago. Since then, I have created social media and Etsy pages to showcase and sell my artwork! Alongside art, I enjoy being outdoors, playing tennis, and spending time with my family and friends.  This past summer, I participated in a Hepatitis B research internship where I was introduced to the world of biotechnology research. I learned that a career in research demands creativity in formulating hypotheses and designing experiments, attention to detail, and organization- qualities that I always associated with my artistic pursuits. This internship served as a gateway to the field of biomedical research, but I joined TRIP to be able to truly solidify my passion for this career path. TRIP offers me the opportunity to connect the practical applications of science to the biological foundations taught throughout my courses while gaining hands-on lab experience and creating and conducting my own experiment.
This past Saturday was the first day in the lab, and there was already so much I learned! I got the chance to get to know everyone through the fun icebreaker, practice my micropipetting skills, and learn how to create food for our fruit flies. For our Kickoff Experiment, I am testing the effects of Fenugreek and a high-sugar diet on female fertility. I chose this experimental question particularly because Fenugreek is a staple ingredient in my Indian household and I wanted to see the health benefits it holds. I am extremely grateful and excited to embark on this journey with TRIP, and to see where these next few weeks take me!
Hello everyone! My name is Victoria Li and I’m a sophomore at Garnet Valley High School.  My love for science started in my elementary school classrooms. As I grew older, the increasingly complex scientific ideas and explanations I was being introduced to drew me closer to the subject. However, I did feel an absence of one thing: the feeling of true research. Although I did do experiments within my science classes, they were always ones that had been done several times before me, and I could find the results of them with a few clicks on a computer. In my biology class in 9th grade, however, my end-of-year assessment was an independent research project. I was able to conduct an experiment based on my curiosities and derive results that hadn’t been done hundreds of times before, and I loved the feeling of discovery I felt. Through TRIP, I hope to not only gain insight into more advanced research but also feel the sense of discovery and fulfillment I felt with my independent research project. 
Outside of school, I run an animal welfare non-profit. My passion for this cause started when I was 3 through my love for the little dog that lived across the street from me, and has only been amplified through the years. I also spend my Friday nights volunteering at my local animal shelter, Rags2Riches. Seeing the animals who have gone through the most cruel conditions start and take on the journey of healing and trust has not only deepened my devotion to the cause but also inspired me in my personal life. I also teach K-5th graders mathematics for the Delaware Chester Community School on Sundays, and it is such a rewarding and fun experience.
On Day 1 of TRIP, I’ve already partaken in new experiences through learning about serial dilution, micro pipetting, and creating fly food for my kickoff experiment! Inspired by the concussion I got from a bus window last year, my kickoff experiment is going to test the effects of head trauma and Rhodiola on anxiety. Rhodiola (a type of plant) root powder is believed to help with stress, something that has strong effects on anxiety. On top of this, I have taken home a vial containing approximately 30 new pets! As fruit flies do reproduce quite quickly, I’m expecting to have several more in the coming week. Although I’ve only had one day in the TRIP lab, I am ecstatic to create bonds with my TRIP family while continuing my exploration in the field of science.  Hello everyone, my name is Rohan Ramprasad and I am very excited to be a part of TRIP @ WTHS’23! 
 Apart from my life in academia, I love to play basketball whenever I get the chance. I played High School Basketball for Downingtown East for 2 years and continue to play pick-up hoops in my community. I also keep in touch with my cultural heritage by playing the classical “Carnatic Flute”, a 8-hole bamboo instrument originating hundreds of years ago in South India. My favorite cuisine apart from Indian food is Mexican food, and I love eating Chipotle whenever possible.
 Hello, my name is Venkat Devabhakthuni and I am a junior from Downingtown East High School. I am extremely excited for what is to come during my time at TRIP and I look forward to becoming a part of this amazing community. In school I am an active member of the Technological Student Association (TSA), Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). I have competed in the state conferences of each of these events and placed multiple times. Aside from school, I am a huge fan of the Eagles and have been playing soccer my entire life. I play for both my school teams and for the Lionville Soccer Club. Additionally, I love robotics, and I participate in VEX robotics competitions all over the country.
I joined TRIP because I wanted to challenge myself and to gain real world experience that is driven by me. The idea of creating my own clinical study on a topic of my own choosing sounded too good to be true! I am extremely excited for what is to come in my TRIP with all of you and am grateful to become a part of this community.
Hey everyone! My name is Henry Bai and I’m 16 years old. I go to CB South in Warrington, PA. I’m excited to be in TRIP because I want to further my knowledge of environmental sciences, specifically the impact of different environmental conditions on organism reaction to particulate matter. Prior to the TRIP program, I’ve also conducted an independent research project on business ethics and sustainability over the Summer in 2022. I thought that was really interesting, which was partly why I applied to TRIP.  In my free time, I like to play basketball, workout with friends, as well as take pictures of just about anything- mainly nature, sunsets, and cityscapes. I also really enjoy skiing, but unfortunately because I don’t have much time this junior year, I haven’t been able to go up to any mountains at all. In past years, I would at least go 2-3 times, the furthest of which was Elk Mountain. In the future, it would really be a fantastic experience to ski in either Colorado or Utah. In my first TRIP session, it was exciting to meet people with the same passions for science as me. The icebreaking activities were fun, being able to learn so much more about ourselves, others, and the world. In the introductory lab, I’m studying “How do melatonin and disrupted circadian rhythms affect mood?”, which was one of the top picks I had. I’m looking forward to what I learn in this introductory experiment, especially because it reminded me of my AP Biology class, where we also worked with fruit flies. After an exciting first day, I’m looking forward to what’s to come!
Hello! My name is Anoosha Shukla, a junior at Wissahickon High School. I am super excited to be a part of TRIP’23@WTHS.
  At school, I am the vice-president of our science club. This means I get to organize and run monthly-experiments. Next month, I have organized a field trip for the science club to visit Gwynedd Mercy University’s science laboratory. I am also vice-president of the Debate and Speech team. I compete in Public Forum (2x2), alongside my debate partner. Debate is one of my favorite activities because of the adrenaline rush I get before the rounds! I am also a proud co-founder and co-president of my school’s Indian Cultural Association. This year, we had a successful Garba event. Over 150 students, parents, and community members joined us for a traditional Indian social dance. Currently, we are in the process of organizing our second annual Holi event!  Outside of school, I am a synchronized ice skater and classical dancer. I have been doing synchro (the nickname) for 8 years and I love it. I am currently skating on Team Delaware at the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club. This season, we won first place at a competition in Anaheim, California! As for dance, I learn Kathak, a form of Indian Classical dance. I dance alongside my mom which is always a great mother-daughter bonding experience. Recently, I flew to Milwaukee to be a part of Hip-Hop DNA, a production designed to explore the links of hip-hop to various cultures. These special interests serve as my creative outlet and I cherish every moment of practicing dance or being on the ice. I applied to TRIP to gain exposure to laboratory work and build more connections within scientific topics. On Day 1 of TRIP, I learned how to use pipettes, pipets, and micropipettes! I also made four vials of fly food (constant, drug only, stressor only, drug and stressor). These four vials will help me study how black cohosh and a high sugar diet will affect female fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. Black cohosh is a species of flowering plant, native to North America. Native Americans used the root of this plant to relieve menstrual cramps and menopause symptoms. As someone who is interested in women’s health, I am curious to find out the results of this research. In addition to these foundational skills, I also got a vial containing about 30 fruit flies to take home! The vial is living on top of my desk - it is a pretty unique desk decoration! Just from the first day in the lab, I can already tell I will love this “trip”. From being around naturally curious students to learning from incredible instructors and instructors assistants, I feel like this experience will be equally enriching and rewarding.
Hi all, my name is Daniel and I'm currently a junior in Wissahickon High School! To tell you a bit about myself, I've lived in Pennsylvania for my entire life with my mother, father, and little sister. Both of my parents were born in South Korea, with my mother originating from Seoul and my father being from Jeolla-do. My parents both moved to the States around the ages of 12 (mother) and 30 (father) and married in '05! Around the age of 11 my family and I moved from Haverford to Blue Bell, where we still currently live. I’m really proud of my Korean heritage and it's been a major part of my life, including the rich history, fun traditions, and the amazing food!
 In school I participate in a handful of activities. A couple worth mentioning are Key Club, Asian Student Association, Mock Trial, and Junior Class Committee. But if I had to underscore one, it would definitely be tennis. While I love the sport and the game itself, I adore the progression even more and the changes you undergo as an athlete and person! Throughout the game, it's inevitable that you face defeat, whether it comes about by making too many critical errors or simply just going up against an overwhelming stronger opponent. It’s important to efficiently learn from your losses in order to come back stronger and smarter. I make it my mission to never step onto the court fearing a loss, always reminding myself of the importance of losing and learning from defeat. It's even better when you have loads of fun all along the way! I’ve included below an awesome quote from my all-time favorite player. "If you don't lose, you can't enjoy the victories. I have to accept both things. Losing is not my enemy, fear of losing is my enemy." - Rafael Nadal I applied to TRIP to broaden my knowledge of laboratory research and wanted to get a feel for a biology-related career. I applied to TRIP to broaden my knowledge of laboratory research and wanted to get a feel for a biology-related career. I was drawn into the unique personal project aspect of the program, allowing me a large scope of freedom to experiment, while being able to bounce ideas off of my amazing instructors and peers. I got to know a bunch of new friends and learned how to use some pretty expensive equipment like micropipettes. This past Saturday I even learned how to prepare yummy fly food! For my kickoff experiment I will be learning how Valerian and a high sugar diet affect the fruit fly's anxiety levels. Although I've never used Valerian before, simply learning about how certain dietary factors influence one's behavior is really intriguing to me. Isn't learning about behavior so exciting? I have no clue as to what my main individual project is going to be later on but I know I'm going to love it every step of the way!
 Hey everyone! I am Arushi Vignesh, a sophomore at Conestoga High School. As a STEM enthusiast and aspiring scientist, being able to perform independent research on a topic of my choice to answer a question fascinates me. I am involved in TRIP to combine my passion for science with my curiosity about real-world events to perform hands-on research. I am very excited to spend the next few months exploring life as a research scientist at TRIP!
After noticing the gender gap in programming and computer science, my friends and I started an initiative in my community called Magenta Programmers. We provide free coding workshops to girls in middle school in order to encourage them to gain an interest in computer science. In my free time, I like hanging out with friends, watching Breaking Bad on Netflix, and eating Chick-Fil-A (yes, I know, not the healthiest option).  Yesterday was my first in-lab day at TRIP. Although I have performed science experiments in school before, I have never been in a … research lab. I got to learn about and use equipment that I had never heard of before, for example, a micropipette. I got to brush up on some math skills (always fun) while doing conversion and dilutions in order to get the correct amount of a substance. And the best part, I got assigned my first experimental question: How do black cohosh and disrupted circadian rhythms affect female fertility? To prepare for this experiment I learned how to make fly food and add the correct amount of drug and stressor. I am amazed at how much I learned in the first day alone and am excited for what the rest of this program entails!
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