“Before TECBio, I thought that I was generally interested in quantitative biology research but I didn’t know exactly what that looked like and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to grad school or not. This summer gave me a sense for what the day-to-day experience of research is like in a graduate-level setting, while at the same time providing workshops for future applications and many opportunities to interact with current graduate students. Everyone involved with TECBio was incredibly supportive and welcoming, from the program leaders to my research mentor to my fellow students. I can’t imagine a better way to have spent my summer, and I feel like I’m entering my senior year of college with a much better picture of my career goals and values.”

Madeline Ohl

“TECBio 2022 provided me with an incredible period of growth as a researcher and as an individual. Going in to the program, the idea of graduating made me anxious. Now, from casual conversations with graduate students, working full-time in a lab, and mentorship from Dr. Ayoob and others in the comp bio department, I feel much more secure about post-undergraduate life. I’m still figuring out my exact steps, but I know I have a team of individuals supporting me through it. TECBio is much more than the research and professional development– it’s also the community. Everybody in the was so welcoming. Living in Pittsburgh with the rest of the Techies made me feel at home and gave me a sense of autonomy I hadn’t been able to experience since the pandemic started. I now feel confident about myself and future in ways I didn’t know I could.”

Rose Evard

“TECBio has been one of the best opportunities of my life. I made lifelong friends and was able to do amazing research. My mentor, Jim Faeder, and his lab took so much time out of their busy schedules to help guide me in my research. I gained so much knowledge about graduate school, grant funding applications, and communication skills. I loved every part of my TECBio experience, and I recommend anyone interested in computational and systems biology to consider this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Anamarie Martinez

“TecBIO was my first REU program and I’m so thankful I got to experience it. During my college years, I was always interested in research but it wasn’t until this summer program that I realized I could solidify my career towards research. The program was online which was different from what I expected but I have to give major credit to the TecBIO team for making it so meaningful. Despite the circumstances, I felt welcomed and as a priority. Even though my research didn’t make any beneficial results, I feel as if I had learned so much. I felt the closest I ever have to being a scientist. I have only to thank my mentor and the TecBIO team for making that possible! Future students need opportunities like this to help them find their way of fitting into the scientific community”

Amna Irfan

“Before TECBio 2020, I was unsure of what I wanted to do after graduation. I wanted to join the field of computational biology, but I didn’t feel like I had the right background, and I wasn’t sure if it was right for me. Having participated in TECBio this summer, I can say with almost 100% certainty that going to graduate school for computational biology/bioinformatics is what I want to do. This REU gave me a thorough insight into what being a graduate student is like from many aspects, including research, learning, and social activities. Before this opportunity, I had barely any research experience, or even any idea what graduate school was really like; now, I feel properly prepared (and confident enough) to pursue research as a career and a passion.

Caleb Armstrong

“Though I realized that I might not be interested in a career in academic research, TECBio was a great first research experience. It gave me the opportunity to see what research entails day-to-day. It pushed me to develop self efficacy and independence in thinking about and doing science. My favorite part of TECBio was the people: everyone I met — the program directors, faculty, other TECBio students — was so kind, supportive, and interesting to talk with. I gained experience working with a research partner, and learned to appreciate working with other people. The skill I spent the most time working on was how to communicate science effectively, which was more difficult and important than I had anticipated. The summer did not go as I had expected it to — I learned as much about being a scientist and a human as I learned about science — but I think the experience I did have will be more important to my career and life overall.”

Moira Crawshaw

“This internship allowed me to get ahead of new research experiences, where I learned different aspects of biology and genomics systems. It was an enriching experience, despite the fact that we had to adapt to a new modality, everything went smoothly. It was difficult, we had ups and downs, whether it was because of the internet, bad weather, there was no light, we did everything possible to be present and they (Joe and Adam) were always aware of every need that arose along the way. I am grateful for the opportunity, for sure it is an experience that I will carry with me, it helped me to overcome many insecurities and to feel part of the scientific community. That despite the circumstances, nothing is impossible. I would recommend it to anyone and if I could I would be part of it again.”

Anelisse Dominicci Maura