I knew from my junior year of high school, when
I first visited the University of Kentucky, that I wanted to be involved with research during my junior and senior years of college. I had never realized that undergraduates were permitted to help in research; wasn't that illegal or something? It sounded interesting. Not only was it permissible, but also highly recommended by the Chemistry and Biology departments for students to participate in undergraduate research. At that point, I didn't really know what serious academic research meant; the most experience I had in a lab was dissecting a dogfish in my high school marine biology class. My lab partner and I used to fight over the scalpel. I relished the idea of more power (oh, and responsibility, too, I suppose) in the lab and the potential to cure cancer while I was still an undergraduate. I could move on to AIDS once I graduated. I was young. I was idealistic. I was rather silly.

Then, I moved upwards to the exhilarating world of . . . freshman chemistry lab. Research interests drifted into some oblivion of future classes, for when I was older and wiser and knew how to properly operate a beaker and a pipet. Like those around me in required courses, I became more concerned with doing the work for a decent grade than learning lab principles I could implement as a researcher. Each course, though, granted me a bit more freedom and a bit more responsibility; I grew more confident and interested in academic research.

When the time came at the end of my sophomore year to choose a research mentor, I perused the research interests of the Chemistry faculty. I was amazed by the range of the research going on in laboratories I walked by every day. What a plethora of opportunities! Just as I was preparing for a deciding round of “Eenie Meenie Miney Moe,” I returned to the description given by Dr. Allan Butterfield. Alzheimer's disease research, huh? I knew I wanted to go into medicine, and I knew Alzheimer's disease was an absolutely horrendous disease plaguing the global population. I didn't know much more than that, though, and I felt that I should. I really felt a desire to expand my knowledge in the area, and his research sounded fascinating.

I communicated my interests via e-mail as early as I could. I would be studying abroad in the fall, but I knew I wanted to work with Dr. Butterfield when I returned from England for the spring semester and all throughout my senior year. I had learned from a summer research position at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati that getting results in three months is very difficult, and I was ready to put forth my full efforts as a researcher. As soon as I returned to UK, eager and anxious to begin, I e-mailed Dr. Butterfield. He invited me to join his lab meeting that same day.

Most of my first semester of research was spent learning the procedures used in the lab. I think I learned more that first semester of research than in any single laboratory course I had taken; I was able to witness the application of my education thus far. I find that education is much more compelling when you can apply it to a real situation. I wanted to learn the current research in Alzheimer's disease in order to better understand my own research.

That spring, I was given a wonderful opportunity. The University had recently been granted the privilege by the Beckman Foundation to award six Beckman Scholarships over the course of three years for undergraduate research in chemistry, biochemistry, and the biological and medical sciences. A prestigious national award given to such schools as Duke, UCLA, and Boston University that same year, Dr. Butterfield and the UK Chemistry department strongly encouraged me to apply for the Beckman Scholarship. With their support, I was able to present my research proposal for studying models of Alzheimer's disease and really step into a serious researching role.

The Beckman Scholarship not only provided me with the financial support to continue my research over the summer and following year, but it also boosted my confidence. When I began exploring the idea of researching as an undergraduate, I figured I would be washing dishes for two years and just observing the real research. Here was an opportunity to conduct my own studies in which I had the encouragement of professors, mentors, and the University community in general. Granted, the opportunity appeared a bit daunting at first, but the challenge has stimulated my growth as a student, a researcher, and a person.