School, homework, studying, experiments ,labs, etc. These are the things that I have been surrounded by my whole life. I’ve grown up very privileged in being able to spend time satisfying my curiosity of the world around me by participating in these activities and through this exposure that I had as a child, an affinity towards science developed in me without me even knowing it. I’d look at the world and wonder how it worked and why it worked. How did plants make their own food? What really was the moon? How do huge planes get off the floor? As time passed I found the answers to these questions but more and more came to take their place.
I soon found out that the reason humans are able to understand these things is because of science. I was amazed at the thought of it.
Science…
I soon found out that the reason humans are able to understand these things is because of science. I was amazed at the thought of it.
Science…
It was so strange to me because it seemed that not too many people cared about it in the community that I grew up in. Was it even normal for me to like these kinds of things? As I got older and started expressing my interest in the topic, I was being confronted with strange reactions from people. It wasn’t normal for them to hear that someone from their community wanted to become a scientist. It would be hard for me to explain to people in a way that they could relate to and it wasn’t until I got to college that I was able to find people that shared the similar curiosity that I had.
But just like in middle school and high school, I was back to learning about science through textbooks, lectures, and last minute cramming for exams. It has put a downer on this part of the process but like most students I’ve managed to get through it.
In an attempt to break this seemingly never ending process, I became curious in participating in research. I had heard good things about it up to that point and finally decided that it was time for me to give it a shot.
Now, fast forward a little and I find myself going out doing actual science. Constructing transects, taking samples, inputting data, going out to different sites, etc. Knowing that I was helping with something that was going to produce scientific data was surreal for me at first. I was finally able to satisfy my curiosity through the methods that thousands of others have done before me.
The difference in feelings I have had between sitting in a desk reading a text and being out in the field has been immense for me. I’ve caught myself being a little giddy on the inside about what was going on in front of me with a childish mentality.
My participation with this research has served as a reassurance for me. I know without a doubt now that living a life with science in it is what I want.
But just like in middle school and high school, I was back to learning about science through textbooks, lectures, and last minute cramming for exams. It has put a downer on this part of the process but like most students I’ve managed to get through it.
In an attempt to break this seemingly never ending process, I became curious in participating in research. I had heard good things about it up to that point and finally decided that it was time for me to give it a shot.
Now, fast forward a little and I find myself going out doing actual science. Constructing transects, taking samples, inputting data, going out to different sites, etc. Knowing that I was helping with something that was going to produce scientific data was surreal for me at first. I was finally able to satisfy my curiosity through the methods that thousands of others have done before me.
The difference in feelings I have had between sitting in a desk reading a text and being out in the field has been immense for me. I’ve caught myself being a little giddy on the inside about what was going on in front of me with a childish mentality.
My participation with this research has served as a reassurance for me. I know without a doubt now that living a life with science in it is what I want.
Undergraduate interns working on the wildag project are encouraged to write their own blog posts- read more about Efrain Delgado on the 'About Us' page.