I arrived here in Denver on Friday evening, May 31st, 2024. It immediately looked like a whole different world from the moment I rolled in; mountains, skyscrapers, and the bustling city life dominated the whole landscape. I had never really been out West unless you count Omaha, so as an Iowan, the mountains especially were a shock to me.
The first (decent) photo I took of the mountains (Taken inside Rocky Mountain National Park):
Finding a place to stay out here had been a bit of a hassle as well, but I eventually found a place in an area called ‘Park Hill.’ It’s one of the oldest neighborhoods in Denver, and my walk to and from the bus stop every day is always beautiful. I have a suite to myself here, complete with a private bath, office, bedroom, and loft. My host is also a wonderful woman; She is an author and former public health researcher. She also hosts another person, a man who is out here for one month receiving management training. The three of us already have a tradition; every morning, the first one of us awake will grind the coffee and put it in the pot, and then we all sit and talk before I leave for my internship.
As far as the internship goes, I feel very lucky and honored to have been chosen out of a long list of very bright students to come here and represent our school. If I am honest, when I submitted an application to the Dimensions Program for this opportunity back in February, I never expected to hear back. It was a shock to me to receive an interview invite, and an even bigger shock to hear I was on the short list. I often struggle with my self esteem in regards to my academic capabilities, so being accepted here really had me rethinking my whole life. I knew that Cornell and my professors prepared me well for this program; all I had to do now was prove it.
The doctors I am studying under are Dr. Keller and Dr. Wlodarchak, two incredibly bright researchers. Dr. Keller has made moves in the world of research with her emphasis on medicinal plants as treatment, and she is also a major player in understanding the sex differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by diabetes.
Dr. Wlodarchak’s track record is equally as impressive. He's committed to finding new ways to treat tuberculosis and related pathogens. By harnessing the power of kinase and phosphatase inhibitors, Dr. Wlodarchak is fiercely battling the idea that treatment resistant tuberculosis is a death sentence.
This first week for me has been mostly about acclimating to Denver and to Anchutz. We’ve gone over safety protocols, basic knowledge about the area, and about the research being conducted here by Dr. Keller and Dr. Wlodarchak. Getting used to Denver public transport had also been a big adventure for me. I’ve gotten on the wrong bus about 5 times from Monday through Friday, but I always make it to where I’m going eventually.
On the first Monday of the internship, we went over expectations and schedules for the summer. We were all introduced to each other and listened to Dr. Wlodarchak speak about his work with treatment resistant tuberculosis. Shortly after that, he announced that he was taking us all out to Rocky Mountain National Park that Tuesday. Afterwards, we met up with Dr. Keller for a late lunch/early dinner.
The next day, we set out for Estes Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Cameron Reimers, my co-intern, and I were joined by Dr. Wlodarchak, who is an experienced outdoorsman, along with Melissa Henckel, a professional research assistant of Dr. Keller's. We all had a wonderful time and took plenty of pictures.
Me in front of the entrance to Estes Park- A small town at the base of the mountains and then a selfie taken at Forest Canyon Overlook:
A marmot posing at Forest Canyon Overlook and then the Tundra Community Trail and the windiest photo I've ever taken:
Dr. Wlodarchak, Cameron Reimers, Melissa Henckel, Myself on Trail Ridge Road:
When we returned to work on Wednesday, Dr. Wlodarchak put us right to work on Bradford assays. We were also able to assist in troubleshooting experiments. On Friday, his research assistant, Chase, was able to give Cameron and I the opportunity to split some cells.
My workspace for the initial week and then splitting cells at Anschutz:
Overall, this work week has been wonderful and incredibly illuminating! This weekend, Cameron and I hope to go hiking as a way to relax from the week and prepare for the next. I'll be sure to update you all next week! Thank you for reading! :)