The Point of the Lab Component: It’s not Just Three Hours of Misery for the Sake of it 

Posted on by Haya Elamir

The image depicts an image of one of the more intensive lab components: organic chemistry. It's a depiction of my own experiment halfway through the procedure.
Organic Chemistry Lab Procedure in Frick, taken by Haya Elamir

For STEM majors, lab components of classes can be cumbersome. They can add stress to the classroom experience–not to mention the long hours. Unlike research in a lab as part of a thesis or independent work, these labs may not allow for self-direction, and can feel very methodical. Sure, they apply what we are taught in class, but for me personally, the rates at which lab and lecture move can be quite different, and I do not fee the benefits of the lab experience until later on in the semester when it finally clicks for me.

What’s the point of lab work then?

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A Guide to Reading Research Papers Like A Pro

Posted on by Haya Elamir

This is a blackboard featuring some difficult concepts from a neuro class I took. I had to read research papers a lot for this class, so it partly inspired this post, hence the inclusion of this photo
Blackboard featuring some neuroscience concepts from a neuro class taken at Princeton

We all have to do it: read research papers. They can be jargon-y, long, confusing, and all in all an upsetting experience, but there’s no way around it. 

First of all, let’s start by approaching this with a more positive mindset. Reading research papers can give us access to a bucketload of information that no other resource can provide. It is the most updated source on your favorite scientific topics, a Vogue magazine for the scientific world if you will. As such, reading them can be fun–but only if you know how. Now that we are a bit more optimistic about reading them, we can start with the first few steps. 

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Looking Ahead to Spring (And Summer)

Posted on by Haya Elamir

This image is a picture of a pretty set of windows during the warmer months to hint towards the warming weather and provide some optimism to the stress that applying to internships can cause.
Rocky Common Room Window, taken by Haya Elamir

For Princeton students, it’s not premature to start thinking about summer. If anything, this post may be a little behind for some of those proactive students. Rest assured though, you are not behind if you have not started the search for summer internships (even though many students will say they’ve already applied). Opportunities are aplenty, and no, you are not behind if you didn’t start applying for research internships back in the womb. 

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Dreading December: Fall is Just That Time of Year 

Posted on by Haya Elamir

this image is for aesthetic reasons and depicts an iconic part of campus: Nassau Hall

Nassau Hall on Princeton’s campus. Photo Credit: Adriana De Cervantes.

I think that November is a critical month for the fall semester. Many students feel more pressure to do better for the rest of the semester as midterm grades come in. Students in labs start to have their lab work amp up at this point in the semester, especially newbie researchers who just joined a lab in September. That ‘just getting to know the lab’ phase is over; the sun is setting at an outrageous time; the weather is getting colder; and the professors seem to make less sense. Holidays feel like they’re right around the corner, so the end of the semester feels so close yet so far. In short, November and the first half of December is a weird limbo phase that, at its best, is a transition/preparation period and, at its worst, purgatory. With this pressure in mind, it becomes important to recognize how to balance research work and studies and mental health and social life and…and…and the list goes on.

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To Ph.D. or Not to Ph.D.: An Interview with Microbiology Ph.D. Candidate Ciara Sanders

Posted on by Haya Elamir

Showing the person I interviewed to add a face to the name and words

Headshot of Ciara Sanders, Ph.D. student. Photo credit: Ciara Sanders.

For this post, I decided to ask third-year Ph.D. student Ciara Sanders in Dr. Brooks Lab here at Princeton about her experience in molecular biology graduate school. She hails from California and is currently carrying out microbiology research for her Ph.D. For students considering molecular biology research/Ph.D. as a career, these questions may help answer any concerns you have, especially since medical school seems to be the popular option for molecular biology majors.  

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Mystery Writers in Research Labs: How to Analyze Your Data

Posted on by Haya Elamir

The image is to depict a study corner in the Trustee Reading Room to add the feel of a study session to the post since it is about analyzing data.
Trustee Reading Room, Firestone Library. Photo credit: Matt Raspanti.

“So what does this data mean?” My professor asked, looking at me expectantly. What does the data mean? “What does this data tell you about the cancer cells?” If he thought rephrasing it made it any better, it didn’t. I am not quite sure what I said to save face (and frankly, I really do not want to remember), but I must have said something because my professor just nodded. “When you look at your data, I want you to create a story. It may be a mystery, but then you’d be providing a certain set of clues.” 

It is very easy to get caught up in generating data, especially if the data is particularly tricky and you’re concerned about making sure it looks right, generating the right graphs, having the right axes, numbers and titles. It can be a headache. By the time the graphs are done, I would rather not look at it anymore or think too hard about the numbers. However, as lab reports and analysis questions stack up for our classes, it becomes prudent to know how to analyze these graphs. While I am not a seasoned veteran, I have a few tips that helped me approach these types of situations.

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