Embarking On This New TRIP by Anika Gupta

​Hi everyone! My name is Anika Gupta and I am a junior at Spring-Ford Area High School. I am so excited to start my TRIP journey! I applied to TRIP because I am a huge science nerd and love learning about biology and chemistry. I was immediately drawn in by the idea of conducting research on fruit flies (despite my irrational fear of bugs) because I have always been deeply curious about why different phenomena occur within the biological world and conducting research is the key to answering such questions.

​Here’s a little bit about me! I love painting in my free time—it’s always been my go-to creative outlet whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed. Lately, I’ve gotten really into jigsaw puzzles and have been baking a lot of different yummy treats including banana bread and chocolate chip muffins. My family and friends would probably describe me as ambitious because I’m always excited to try new things and pick up different hobbies. I also enjoy reading and spending time with the people I care about. Oh, and one more thing—I’m obsessed with the New York Times Games! I play them every night before bed, and my favorite is definitely the Mini Crossword. My best time is 24 seconds!

​I love being actively involved both within school and outside of school. Currently, I am the Spring Ford Student Board representative, Vice President of Interact Club and Student Council, and an executive officer of my school’s Future Medical Leaders of America Club. These activities are extremely meaningful to me because I am passionate about bettering the community around me and using my voice to make a difference. Outside of school, I volunteer at my local hospital in the Emergency Department. I normally assist in triage by taking vitals and communicating with patients. Additionally, I am the Vice President of the marketing department for the Junior Achievement Company Program at Pfizer. In the program, a group of highschoolers and myself create a company to sell a product that we hope will make a positive impact on the community. This year we are creating and selling a card game designed to promote creativity and critical skills in young kids! Finally, I co-founded an initiative called STEMscouts, where I host classes at my local library to help kids explore science through hands-on experiments and engaging lectures. Simplifying complex science concepts into something digestible can be challenging, but it’s so rewarding to see the spark of curiosity light up on their faces as they learn through these classes.

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Last Saturday was my very first day of TRIP, and it was a great experience! I loved meeting everyone as we learned how to use a micropipette and create fruit fly food. I also got to take home some very special guests – a vial of fruit flies to observe their development! Even though it has only been a day of the program, I have learned so much. I cannot wait to continue learning more about research and fruit flies through TRIP. For my kickoff experiment, I will spend the next few weeks studying how Fenugreek and a high sugar diet affect female fertility. I am so grateful for this opportunity and beyond thrilled to join the TRIP community!