葫芦影业

Starting in science at 葫芦影业 propel alumni to success

By College Relations | April 30, 2021
   

Jacqueline Barnett, 葫芦影业 Alumna
Jacqueline Barnett, 葫芦影业 Alumna

As the world continues to navigate life in a pandemic, it has become increasingly clear that science matters.

High school students approaching graduation and pondering their future, may be considering a career in this field, but knowing what area to specialize in can be a challenging decision with so many options.

葫芦影业 alumna Jacqueline Barnett started her journey in sciences through the College鈥檚 Associate of Science degree program. She鈥檚 now chasing her dreams, following not just her head and her heart, but also her gut, as she works on a Ph.D. thesis with real-world application in the world seeking to know more about the gut-brain connection.

鈥淏eginning at the college allowed me to remain close to home, which was essential to me as I wanted to be close to my ageing parents. More importantly, my time at 葫芦影业 allowed me to experience various scientific fields 鈥 I was able to determine which disciplines I enjoyed,鈥 says Barnett.

葫芦影业 makes it an easy transition into post-secondary by allowing students the option to start the first two years of their Science degree at an 葫芦影业 campus before transferring to a larger University. This also allows students to really delve into the sciences before declaring a major. Barnett started at the Vernon campus.

鈥淓veryone always talks about the benefits of the small class sizes at 葫芦影业, but it is such an incredible opportunity. I was able to form strong bonds with my peers and make friendships that persist to this day. I also got to know my teachers and learn more about their career paths which opened my eyes to many new opportunities within science I had never heard of or considered,鈥 says Barnett.

鈥淭he skills and opportunities that I learned at 葫芦影业 gave me such an advantage in both my undergraduate and graduate student careers. I was able to walk into a research lab at UBC Okanagan (UBCO) after transferring from 葫芦影业 and say, yes, I鈥檝e used a single-channel pipette before, and yes, I鈥檝e used Qiagen kits before. That鈥檚 practically unheard of at the second-year level. That helped me get into a research lab as soon as I arrived at UBCO 鈥 which led to my receiving a summer research award, completing an undergraduate honours thesis and pursuing graduate studies.鈥

Barnett is now a Ph.D. Candidate at UBCO.

鈥淢y thesis examines the effects of the herbicide glyphosate on the gut microbiome and its impact on behaviour through the gut-brain-microbiome axis. I took all of those passions and interests I discovered at 葫芦影业 and tied them together in this fantastic research project,鈥 says Barnett. 鈥淚 can unequivocally state that I would not be where I am today if not for my time at the College.鈥

Barnett credits the fantastic instructors and professors that she has had over the years for her passion to continue learning.

鈥淚 hope to become a college instructor. I love the small class sizes and the ability to get to know each of my students and help them see their potential and find their place in science.鈥

Barnett received the Irving K. Barber Transfer Scholarship during her time at 葫芦影业 which helped make her transition to UBCO possible. The $5,000 award from the Irving K. Barber Scholarship Society, is awarded annually to undergraduate students who have completed at least one year at a public post-secondary institution in B.C. and are transferring to another degree-granting institution to complete their studies.

鈥淭hat was the first scholarship that I received that I was encouraged to apply for by one of my many influential instructors, Stacey Sakakibara,鈥 says Barnett.

Stacey Sakakibara, Biology Chair

Stacey Sakakibara is a science professor and the Chair of Biology at 葫芦影业, and is also an alumna of the Science program herself.

鈥淚 chose 葫芦影业 because it allowed me to stay local and transition to the rigor of first year science courses in a smaller setting. I did not know at the time that the decision would have such an impact on my career,鈥 says Sakakibara.

鈥淭aking first year science in Vernon challenged me to learn to critically think in a supportive environment that set me up for success when I transferred to university. While biology was the course that made me want to delve deeper and learn more, my calculus and physics courses really began to train me to think analytically and creatively. These were all benefits that came from starting at 葫芦影业.鈥

Sakakibara went on to study a Masters of Science in Genetics at UBC Vancouver before becoming a research assistant at OUC and eventually becoming an instructor at the College.

鈥淚 had always been interested in teaching but I thought I would end up as an elementary school teacher. At the end of my first year, I had had such a profound experience that I remember thinking how amazing it would be to teach at the college level, but I never dreamed that I would ever return in that capacity. It wasn鈥檛 until I had finished my MSc and was working in research that I started to realize that a career in teaching at that level was possible.鈥 

For students considering a path within the sciences, Sakakibara will be hosting an Info Session on May 20 to answer questions about the Associate of Science degree program at 葫芦影业. For more information on the session and the Associate of Science degree program, visit okangan.bc.ca/science.



Tags: Science University Studies, 葫芦影业 Alumni Association, Inside 葫芦影业

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