Rosa Uribe

Cell and Molecular Biology Major
San Francisco State University
SRTP Project: The role of mitochondrial morphology and function in C. elegans lifespan
SRTP Faculty Mentor: Cynthia Kenyon, Ph.D

How did you hear about the SRTP?
I heard about SRTP from a UCSF recruiter who came to SFSU.

What were your expectations going in to the program? Did the program meet these expectations?
My expectation coming into SRTP was that I was going to meet a lot of diverse people who were also as passionate as me about science. I am glad to say that I did and that the program exceeded my expectations in terms of cutting edge research opportunities that were available for us.

What did you learn / what skills did you acquire? Did you learn anything unexpected?
I acquired many skills in SRTP, but more importantly, I learned what the daily life of a graduate student is like. It has helped me to realize that it is something that I am capable of doing. Furthermore, I have learned the importance of communicating with your peers about your research during your grad school experience.

What did you think of the learning environment?
I felt that the learning environment was very diverse. By that I mean that there were multiple ways in which we were able to learn—seminars, lab meetings, research, social outings, posters, oral presentations, GRE prep and panels with faculty members. I felt that this was very beneficial for a well-rounded experience.

What are your future plans? Did the SRTP have any influence on these plans?
My future plans include applying to PhD programs this fall. SRTP helped me to solidify my decision to apply to a PhD program because I have seen first hand what is expected of a graduate student and feel I am ready to take the next step and learn how to become a scientist.

Would you recommend SRTP to other students in your field of study?
Yes, I would recommend the SRTP program to other students because it was such a great experience for me. I met so many great people and I am glad that I was a part of it.

Do you have any additional comments about the SRTP that you'd like to share with students interested in applying?
The SRTP program was fun and beneficial at the same time. Not only did I get to participate in cutting edge research, I had the opportunity to talk one on one with faculty members, post-docs and graduate students about applying to graduate school, research and the culture of science. Furthermore, I got to meet so many other students excited about research from all around the country and abroad. It was a wonderful summer!