My intro by Angie Sotelo

​Hello everyone! My name is Angelica Sotelo, but I usually go by Angie. I'm a senior at Lower Moreland High School in Huntingdon Valley. I wanted to get involved in TRIP to get extra experience in the lab before college. I want to major in Biochemistry on the Pre-med track. Even though, I'm very interested in pursuing the sciences in my career, music is one of my hobbies and it is a very large part of my identity. I've been playing the violin since I was 3 years old. I also have been singing and playing guitar for a couple of years now. I take karate as well and I'm currently a black belt. I’m also very into Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Star Wars. 

I’m only two weeks into the TRIP experience and I’m already learning so much! On the first day, we learned how to use a pipet and make fly food. We also got a vial of fruit flies to take home and observe. I think it’s so cool that we can learn about the fruit flies even when we are not at TRIP. My younger brother on the other hand disagrees and thinks they’re disgusting and refuses to be in the same room as them!

My absolute favorite thing we learned so far was how to distinguish between the male and female fruit flies! We observed the fruit flies under a microscope and in order to have them not fly away we knocked them out with CO2. It was so cool to see the details on the fruit fly underneath the microscope. Though, at first, it was a little frustrating to sort the male and female flies. However, I realize that it is a learning process and that I have to patient. I know I will get better and I’m looking forward to learn more at TRIP.