Why would you want to study at a research university?

The question that heads up this blog is one I have asked to thousands over the years. It has been surprising that most do not go with the easy answer. They think there is a trick. No, the answer is at a research University there are exceptional opportunities to do research.

Below is the narrative of a recently arrived international student who did research this summer at NIH. Few in the world have this opportunity and she took full advantage of it.

But then Yue Bi is no ordinary student. She is a passionate young scientist who has sought out challenges from day one. And her passion has paid off. She received funding for this experience and will have a significant advantage when it comes time to applying to top graduate programs in her field. She is, in other words, a future scientist.

The work she has done this summer is due to be published soon. It is remarkable how quickly she has contributed to the depth of knowledge in her field. We owe her a debt of gratitude for bringing us closer to discoveries that will help our health. As soon as it is published on this website, http://www.sts.virginia.edu/wip/ I will update the blog so everyone can read it. I have already, and while I think of myself as well-informed, her depth of knowledge already exceeds that of many graduate students. I am most grateful she has taken time to help NIH and to help me underscore the importance of research to our county’s future.

Her advice to future scientists is invaluable at whichever school a student might choose. I hope many will follow in her path.

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Two years ago, when I first landed in the United States, I never imagined myself giving a successful presentation to experts from various academic backgrounds, and brilliant students that are best of the best. When I had problems with even daily talk during my first year at my University, I never imagined that one day I can talk to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about sodium reduction. When I first took a nutrition class and was fascinated by public policies trying to improve nutritional health, I never imagined that I have an opportunity to work on such issues, too. However, this summer, all those things came true.  

Working in my office

           When I got to know that I was successfully placed in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at NIH, I couldn’t be more excited. Health issues, especially nutrition and obesity issues are always what I’m most interested in. I have spent a semester providing consultations to a non-profit organization aiming to reduce childhood obesity. My policy analysis paper for the STS class for the policy internship program was focused on reducing energy consumption at fast food restaurants. NHLBI is exactly the perfect place for me because it’s a leader in obesity research and nutrition is often a big factor in research studies.

            After a semester of preparation, I arrived in my office in Rockledge, about 20 minutes from the main NIH campus in Bethesda. My mentor, Dr. Catherine Loria, is a brilliant, diligent, and extremely friendly lady. After learning about the research projects she has been working on, we decided a research topic for me to work on during the summer—worldwide sodium reduction initiatives and their implications for the United States. Overconsumption of sodium is always an issue because it may lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor of heart disease. Sodium reduction in food products makes healthier choices available to people who wants to consume less salt. I still remember my first lunch at NHLBI, talking to Dr. Loria about sodium consumption issues, over a box of salt-loaded pre-cooked pasta.

            I spent most of my time writing a policy analysis paper on this sodium project. Besides this paper, I also helped Dr. Loria with her projects related to sodium intake. Critical thinking was one of the things that I’ve learned from working with Dr. Loria. There have been arguments for and against sodium reduction. Different studies have also shown different health effects by sodium reduction. Therefore, it’s always important to look at data, and analyze evidence, rather than simply agreeing with any conclusion. I also found that applying systematic thinking as a systems engineer is helpful. By applying systematic thinking, I went through over and over again the process of defining problems, thinking about alternatives, identifying metrics, evaluating alternatives, and making recommendations. This process has helped me think more thoroughly.

            NIH provides a great environment to study science, explore academic interests, and develop scientific skills. I went to seminars on various topics, from how to read a scientific paper, to career development in public health. Our office at NHLBI has also provided summer students with lectures on topics such as epidemiology, screening tests, social behavior and cardiovascular diseases, etc. At the end of my summer, I also presented my research at one lecture to other summer students, and scientists working in our office. The scientists were all very friendly and curious, which made my presentation into a thought-provoking discussion. This was a great practice for my final presentation to the policy internship program at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Follow your heart

‘If there is any life advice that I want to give to anyone, it will be—follow your heart’, Mario told me. Mario, or Dr. Arrendondo, is an intern sharing the same office room with me. He is at the age of my father, he was a radiologist, and he had a well-paid and stable job that many people are dreaming about. Now he is an intern working on public policy as a statistician.

No one in our office calls him Dr. Arrendondo. I call him Super Mario sometimes, because he is always passionate about his work, working the hardest, and staying the happiest. I asked why he quit his great job as a radiologist and became an intern among us. He said because he knew being a doctor was not the thing for him. He said because his heart told him to quit and do what he likes. I asked:  do you know where you want to end up in terms of your career and your life? He said, you don’t need to follow a path, just follow your heart, and you’ll end up where you should be.

            When I first came to the office, I wasn’t sure what I want to do in the future. I was always interested in public health issues, especially nutrition issues, but I wasn’t sure whether I should pursue this interest with a systems engineering major. Talking to Mario has always made me more certain about following my passion. Practical career advice from nutritionists in our office has also made me more optimistic.

            Dr. Boyington, a nutritionist in my office told me about many opportunities in the field of nutrition, and suggest me some nutrition magazines to read. Dr. Boyington then introduced me to another nutritionist, Dr. Ershaw. I asked Dr. Ershaw for some more advice and she suggest me start from where I’m good at—quantitative skills that engineers are trained with. She suggest me start with taking biostatistics class and physiology class to prepare myself for a future major in nutrition.

            Lastly, working on my research topic about sodium reduction has also revealed me the importance of working on health and nutrition issues. Pursuing my interest in public health issues is not just important to me, but it may also impact the society. At a poster exhibition, I presented my research to the NIH community. A scientist at NIH told me that he had spent half of his life reading food labels at grocery stores because food products are too complicated and consist too many additives. The existing nutrition fact panels definitely need more improvement. For people sensitive to additives like him, choosing what to eat is never a simple daily routine. Cutting salt in foods, and many other food regulations, are not inhibiting the freedom of food consumption; contrarily, it’s providing people with a safe environment, where the right to make health choices and protect one’s own life is easy to enforce.

For future interns

            It can’t be more true that this summer is my best summer ever. This is probably also true for other interns in the policy internship program. This summer experience is not only eye-opening and thought-provoking, but also life-changing.

            Now let me share some personal thoughts with future interns:

Major recommendation:

Follow your heart—take this internship as a great opportunity to explore what you love and pursue what you love. This internship experience may change your life!

Other recommendations:

Keep in mind the big picture—sometimes what you are working on can be very detailed and very minor. It’s always important to relate back to the big picture of your project. Think about how your summer work can have a potential impact on the society and stay passionate.

Relate back to your school experience—what you have learned from school can always apply to your summer internship. Thinking about how they are related can help you carry your summer experience onto your student life when you go back to school.

Talk to people—literally, anyone around you can be your teacher. Talk to your mentor, co-workers, interns in your office, classmates, roommates, etc.; even someone you meet on a bus may turn out to be a great resource (this is how I started conversation with Dr. Boyington).

Lastly, I wish everyone a great summer experience!

Editorial aside: Whether Yue Bi will keep her expertise in the US is largely dependent on changing the current restrictions on international students obtaining work visas. Unless the number is increased scientists like this must go elsewhere after their PhD. The top universities in the US have written to President Obama about this issue. We are losing the best of the best in the sciences due to laws that do not allow people to make discoveries that will save jobs and lives here in our country.