TRIPping Into TRIP by Ethan Kang

Hello everyone! My name is Ethan and I’m a freshman at Garnet Valley High School. I'm eagerly passionate about the sciences (especially birds) and want to pursue something in the medical field—a helpful medical excursion summer camp from the CCEDC that I recently had the opportunity to attend helped assure me about that notion a little more. I’m really excited to learn more and develop my skills in a professional lab setting. When I heard about TRIP from my brother’s prom date, I knew I had to apply. TRIP offers a chance to experiment with my ideas and potentially discover something in science, which appealed to me. Even if I don’t discover anything groundbreaking, I will still learn a lot. After an interview and a few anxious weeks of waiting, I auspiciously got accepted into TRIP! I hope that this will solidify my decision that I thoroughly enjoy the medical field or science. 

Aside from my passion for science, I also have a bit of an obsession with birds. I spend much of my free daylight hours trotting around various parks and trails counting, photographing, and audio recording birds. Even some of the nighttime hours I spend listening to Nocturnal Flight Calls during migration and for hooting (or screeching) owls. I also enjoy participating  in rare bird chases of birds reported by the local “birders.” Right now, the Grey Catbird earns the title of my most beloved bird—the adorable “meows” and curious attitudes of this common breeding bird captured me the most.  At school, I’m involved in Science Olympiad, the Future Medical and Science Professionals club, and am currently in the process of launching a Birding Club.

Grey Catbird (Ethan's Favorite Bird)

I’m grateful for this fantastic experience and want to see where it leads me!

My TRIP began on Saturday after an hour-long ride of anticipation. When I arrived, I certainly wasn’t disappointed!  I met eight like-minded individuals who share my enthusiasm for science, as well as two graciously supportive and knowledgeable instructors, Dr. Purdy and Dr. Leystra. They taught us how to use a micropipette properly, and helped us calculate my solutions properly and mix the solutions accurately. These tangible activities stood out to me since they are scarcely taught in a classroom setting. Our session ended all too soon, but not before we took home a curious vial of flies to study daily. I’m thrilled to compare my observations with my fellow students and carry out my experiments in the coming weeks. I’m grateful for this fantastic experience and want to see where it leads me!