My Summer TRIP experience by Saanvi Singh

Coming into the Summer TRIP program I had no idea what to expect. This experience taught me how to think like a scientist, work through mistakes, and connect with people who are just as passionate as me. At first the idea of using fruit flies to study health felt a little odd. But as the weeks went on I started to understand how strong of a model organism they are. Through the different assays like Centrophobism, Negative Geotaxis, and the Female Fertility Assay,I saw how diet and environment directly influence behavior and reproduction. The assays weren’t always easy. In fact sometimes I was frustrated when the flies would escape or when my data didn’t come out “clean.” But I now know that this is part of the process. Science isn’t about perfect results but it’s about learning to ask better questions

---

One of my favorite parts of the program was getting to design my own independent experiment. I chose to study how melatonin might protect against anxiety and reproduction caused by head trauma. 
The career talks were another highlight for me. Hearing from scientists, doctors, and staff at Fox Chase helped me realize how many different paths exist within science. But above all the sense of community is what I’ll remember most. Everyone in the room wanted to be there. We helped each other troubleshoot and laughed a lot. I felt like I belonged not just in a lab, but in a space where people genuinely care about science and each other.
This program didn’t just make me more confident in a lab. It made me more curious. It made me ask “why” more often. TRIP opened the door for me to imagine a future in research and I’m excited to walk through it.

---