SUMMER 2022 ALUMNI: Genesis Terrero

How would you describe your EP to someone who has never heard of it before?

My EP was a summer research internship with a lab at NYU.

What is a typical day like during your EP?

The first two weeks of my EP were classes. I would have these classes with the other students in ARISE and they were really discussion-based. The next five weeks of my EP was working at a lab in NYU. There were around 30 participating labs but in the one that I was in, a typical day would be coming into the lab and working by myself to build a wearable technology that my lab had currently been working on. My lab mentors were around to help guide me through the process and troubleshoot any problems that I ran into. I also observed some studies that other people in the lab were conducting.

What was the biggest challenge of your EP?

The biggest challenge was doing it alone. I initially had another ARISE student working with me but they had to drop out of the program so I was stuck working with people who were so much more experienced than me which was a little intimidating.

What was the biggest reward of your EP?

The biggest reward was building something of my own. I had never built anything like this before so seeing that I could do it was a really experience.

What do you wish you had known before you went on your EP?

I wish I had a better sense of what area of STEM interested me the most so that I could then rank labs that were all related to something that I was really interested in.

What advice do you have for future SEO scholars who are considering your EP?

APPLY! Overall, ARISE was a great experience. All the students, staff, and lab mentors were really welcoming and it was really nice to be surrounded by people who were interested in STEM. I learned so much while simultaneously having fun which felt really good. And if you do apply, be genuine in your application.