A group of 13 Elizabethtown College students traveled to Binghamton University in January to attend a three-day Ribonucleic Acids (RNA) workshop with Professor of Chemistry James MacKay.
Funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, the workshop is sponsored by both Binghamton and Etown and provided students with the opportunity to learn more about MacKay’s multi-year research in RNA recognition.
“This is the fourth time we have done this workshop and each time it has been fantastic,” MacKay said. “Students get exposed to multidisciplinary projects (several of which are highly collaborative), get the chance to see state-of-the-art labs at a research institution, and work on expensive instrumentation.”
During the workshop, students learned multiple techniques used in studying ribonucleic acids (RNA), a key biomolecule that is relevant to the understanding of genetics and disease. They attended engaging lectures and discussions led by Binghamton faculty members, as well as current Binghamton graduate student and Etown alumnus Chris Ryan ’17. Students also had access to lab demonstrations from graduate and postdoc students, including Etown alumnus and current BU graduate student Brandon Tessier ’21.
“At Etown, we have excellent professors who fully equip us for advanced degrees, but we don’t have the ability to see those advanced degrees in action,” Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major Emily Harding ’23 said. “Attending the RNA workshop allowed me to tour the facilities of a research institution and talk with graduate students about pursuing a Ph.D. in the field of Chemistry.”
Students at the workshop gained valuable advice from BU faculty on how to prepare and apply to graduate school – a path many in attendance are considering, following their time at Etown.
“This workshop not only gave me a stronger understanding of RNA research and other possible graduate school research projects but allowed me to see what graduate school entails,” Isabella Goebel ’24, a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major said. “It has given me a leg up in making my future application as strong as possible.”
