Undergraduate – Kiara Little

Kiara Little

Your name and what is/was your background (what is your major, why science, etc)?
Kiara Little. I am a plant science/biotechnology student. I chose science because every since I was little girl I have always liked science in school. I guess I knew science was my calling.

Why did you decide to join a research lab? How did the experience compare to what you had expected?
I decided to join a research lab because that is the career I am hoping for.

What was cool, exciting, or most interesting about your time in the lab?
The fact that the mentor, grad students, and everyone in the lab were really friendly and wanted to get to know us personally was cool. The time we spent outside of the lab was

If you would recommend conducting research in a science lab to others, what would you tell them to get them interested in the idea?
Working in a lab is a serious job; something that you have to be passionate about yet a lot of fun. There is so much to learn and do when working in a lab. It is also helps build communication and people skills.

We’d love to know what you’re up to, so please give us a brief description of where you are working or going to school now.
Currently I am a graduating senior at Fort Valley State University where I am studying plant science/ biotechnology. Upon graduation I plan to apply to and attend Roswell Park Canccer Institute to obtain a MD/phD in Cancer Pathology and Prevention. My long term goal is to work at either St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Emory.

Did the lab experience help you with your classes or your perspective about science? Did working in the lab help you with developing other skills like time management or communication?
This lab experience definitely helped with my perspective about science and working in a lab. I did develop communication skills and teamwork skills.

Do you feel better prepared for the workplace or future academic endeavors as a result of your time in the lab?
Since working in the lab I feel that I am better prepared to work in a lab setting. I also am sure that this is the field I would like to pursue for my career.

Any other comments?
I would like to say thanks for the experience and opportunity to work with each of you. I really enjoyed it. This has been my best lab experience thus far and because of it I am eager to pursue lab work as a career. Before coming here I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue a career as a medical doctor or as a research doctor with a concentration in oncology but now I know that I want to become a research doctor.