The Beginning of My TRIP by Dylan Goodman

Hello! My name is Dylan Goodman, and I am an 11th grade student at William Tennent High School! Through my sophomore year of high school, I initially learned about TRIP, finding the aspect of hands-on research and scientific learning an amazing opportunity; however, after applying and getting rejected on my first attempt, I was driven to want to continue trying. I immersed myself in various scientific environments, such as being co-president of Tennent’s Women in Science and Engineering club, Junior Officer of the Science National Honor Society, contributing to advocacy of science by being a Chief Science Officer of Bucks County, shadowing doctors of different professions, and several other activities that have sparked my interest. Knowing how important learning more about STEM is, especially when trying to figure out what to do in the future, I reapplied for TRIP and was given the honor to contribute in the 2026 session!

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So, a little about myself…While I strive to be a hard working student, I also love to have fun! I love traveling with my parents to places I have never been before. My favorite destination so far is definitely Rome. I can be incredibly extroverted and friendly, always trying to help others and make new friends. In my free time, I enjoy reading different books, specifically classics. My favorite of all time is The Great Gatsby! When relaxing, I have the best time cuddling with my cat and my pet pig. Along with these things, I try to practice the violin and piano as much as possible. A little fun fact: I am actually a first-degree black belt in Kenpo Karate!

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In school, I involve myself to the best of my ability. I am my class president and help advocate for what the class wants, yet also plan events for everyone to enjoy. I am the secretary of a volunteering organization called Key club, secretary of the National Honor Society, an active member of our Student Government, a violinist for my school orchestra, contributor to a science outreach program, and am a part of many other organizations along with what I listed earlier. In addition to these activities, a major part of my life currently is focusing on my project for AP Research which involves researching and creating an awareness campaign surrounding a specific subtype of cutaneous melanoma that is not commonly known. Ironically, although taking this course in school, I do not know much about what research is. Because of this, having the opportunity of being a part of the TRIP community is not only exciting, but hopefully clarifies my interests in research!

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On the first day of TRIP, we already delved into learning to use different instruments, getting to know one another, and making fly food. When walking into the classroom, I was honestly quite nervous to begin, but after meeting the wonderful instructors: Dr. Austria, Dr. Valdes, and Dr. Maskalenko, I felt very encouraged and excited for what was to come! We started with expectations, and then moved to micropipetting, which is something I have never done. Then, toward the end of the first session, we began our kickoff experiment by making fly food. This made me look forward to our next session even more as we will actually start to observe the fruit flies. While I understand the importance of science and research on the surface level, I am thankful that TRIP will allow me to explore research, challenge myself with new approaches, and allow me to work hard in an encouraging and motivating environment. Although I have just begun, I am looking forward to being able to design and conduct my own research. For my kickoff experiment, I will be observing if soap-induced intestinal inflammation impacts adult fly anxiety through Vitamin D3. As the TRIP has just started, I am ready to learn, grow, and research!

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