I was introduced to my mentor through my brother, who previously worked with Dr. Leips. Dr. Leips was also my Professor my first year at UMBC and introduced my second mentor, Chia-Hua Lue.

I did not know this was the project I wanted to do. It took me about 2 years, working under the supervision of my two mentors, to determine what I ultimately wanted to pursue. With the correct guidance and learning opportunities I received in my lab, I was able to become inspired and decide what I wanted to do.

I put roughly around 8-18 hours a week into my project. Since I get credit for my internship, I am required to work in my lab for at least 8 hours. However, there is not an exact time I put into my project. I usually work as many hours as I need to remain informed and on track.

I learned about the URA program from my mentors and peers in my lab (some were already or previously involved in the URA program).

Yes, it required plenty of input and guidance from my mentors and peers. Since this was my first time doing an individual project, I took a lot of time reading research papers to determine how I wanted to address my project in the application. I also had to get my application revised multiple times by my mentor to ensure my explanations and responses were on par.

The hardest part about my research was picking a hypothesis and knowing where to begin. It took quite a bit of brainstorming, reading, and discussing to decide what I wanted to do and how I was going to conduct my study in a reasonable manner.

My advice to other students getting involved with research would be to ask a great deal of questions and be prepared to make a lot of mistakes. Take time to do your own research to fully understand your study.