Background: B.Sc. UC San Diego
Programs: Stem Cell Technology Certification and CIRM Bridges Stem Cell Trainee program
Stem Cell Internship: Panning Lab, UCSF
Current Career: Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Santa Crus
Ken completed his PhD in the Kamakaka Lab, UC Santa Cruz directly after completing his stem cell internship.
Check out Ken's 1st Author PNAS Publication from his graduate work at UCSC!!
Ken sharing his experiences at CCSF and UCSC with current CCSF Biotech students in BTEC 5
After I completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at UCSD in 2010, I quickly realized that my lack of prior experience and connections in the field didn’t exactly endear me as a potential job candidate. When I discussed this with a friend, he suggested that I try CCSF’s Stem Cell Certificate program, which would be a great way for me to learn new skills and keep my old skills sharp, and moreover, pave the way for an application to the associated Internship program.
I enjoyed my time at CCSF. With smaller classes, I felt the instructors really could take their time to engage with me about topics in science, and more importantly, get invested in my success. After I completed the Stem Cell Training certification, I applied for and was accepted into the internship program, where I got the opportunity to work in the lab of Dr. Barbara Panning at UCSF. There, I was able to put all the skills I learned into practice and learn so many new things besides. I had a lot of fun, but I think I only really got a sense for where my path would lead when my mentor Dr. Karen Leung, asked me if I had ever considered going to graduate school. I had never even considered a PhD as a possibility for someone like me, and to have someone believe that I’m capable of achieving things I hadn’t even considered was very humbling, and yet at the same time, very empowering.
So, we come to the present, where I’m currently enrolled in a PhD training program at UCSC, studying gene silencing in the lab of Dr. Rohinton Kamakaka. I owe much to all my mentors at CCSF and UCSF, without whom I wouldn’t be here. And outside of a handful of specialized courses, I must say it’s very similar to my internship experience: I’m still reading papers, I’m still troubleshooting experiments, and I’m still trying to think of ways to best communicate the science I do to others. It’s got its highs and lows for sure, but as expected, I wouldn’t trade this experience for any other.
As for current and future CCSF Biotech students, my advice is to put yourself out there. I know it’s hard, but I’ve done a lot of waiting around for opportunities to fall on my lap, so I can tell you with certainty that it doesn’t work. I’m not saying that you need to learn the charisma and confidence of a salesperson overnight. I’m saying that sometimes, if you want to move forward in life, you must summon a little bit more courage than you had the day before. Ask that question in a seminar. Speak to a presenter in a poster session. Send off an email to an investigator. You’re capable of so much more than you think, if you give yourself the opportunity.
