One TRIP ends, and another one begins! by Egor Sakhabutdinov

The past few months of TRIP have been nothing less than spectacular. Coming in on the first day, I didn’t know what to expect. The first few sessions of the boot camp felt like a flurry, but when it came time to present our findings from the boot camp, I felt confident enough to explore a topic of my choice. 
At first, my idea would be too cumbersome to complete within TRIP's time frame. I wanted to investigate the effects of titanium dioxide on fly fertility, but the entire idea seemed to be too grand. However, I received great support from all of the instructors, and after some planning, although it would take some effort, it was entirely doable. Following the day of putting everything on the whiteboard board came the time to put pen to paper and create a plan for Day 1 of my experiment. It was difficult to encapsulate everything in one document, and although I have made many mistakes, the feedback from the instructors and subsequent learning taught me the importance of being diligent.

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Looking back on Day 1, it was incredibly humbling. I did not realize just how much I had on my plate: setting up all my vials, doing all the assays, sorting hundreds of flies, etc. I think I was the last one to leave the lab, but I realized that time management had to become my closest friend if I wanted to complete everything on time. Each day, I became more confident with complicated lab techniques, and in turn, I became faster and faster. I still had to stay somewhat late, and I eventually started to come in for the morning session. Although I had more time, I made a promise to myself to be as efficient as possible, and I tried my best to hold up that promise. And yet, no matter how long or how late I had to stay, I loved every minute of TRIP and would not trade it for the world. ​

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Aside from learning about what it’s like to work in the lab, I am incredibly appreciative of the social aspect of TRIP. All of the instructors and TAs were absolute top-notch and were fully invested in everything I or my peers were doing. They were quick to address any and all of my concerns and provide full support. Not only that, but I was blown away by my peers. Being in an environment where everyone had a fiery drive and love for science only provided a sense of community but also motivated me to be a better scientist. It was refreshing to see so many of my peers engage in research and be there for each other if there were any issues. 

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As I am about to embark on a new journey of attending college, I only have fond memories of being at TRIP. I have an even greater desire to participate in research and am fully set to pursue a STEM career. This program is career-defining, and I am beyond grateful for all of my experiences and all of the people I have met along the way. ​​