The Fall Biology Program Planning began with faculty providing a run-through of the various classes being offered in the Spring followed by a lunch with all the attendees. The event concluded with a Research Panel and Meet&Greet where Aastha Mehta, Laura Kors, Harini Shankar, and Fatima Bagom, the author of this piece, were asked various questions about our experience with undergraduate research. We talked about the work we did in our labs and how we got our research positions, hoping to give students a better idea of how research could fit into their studies at Barnard.
Tell us a little about yourself!
AM: I’m Aastha Mehta, a Cellular Molecular Biology major at Barnard. I work in the Manley Lab at Columbia University, where we research RNA splicing in myelodysplastic syndromes. Outside the lab, I stay active with the Columbia Women’s Swim Team, love exploring new restaurants around the city for my food blog, cooking, and hiking! Fun fact: Fini’s Pizza in Brooklyn is my favorite NYC Pizza spot!
LK: Hi! I am Laura Kors, and I am a senior Cellular and Molecular Biology Major. I work at the Andolfatto Lab at Columbia University. We study the evolutionary processes shaping genome evolution and the genetic mechanisms underlying speciation, adaptation, and species-specific traits. A fun fact about me is that I got a Biology Mini Grant to intern at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama this summer, researching butterfly wing development and mating behavior. Outside of research, I love to make art and be a camp counselor.
HS: My name is Harini Shankar, and I'm a Physiological and Organismal Biology major working at the Pischedda lab, which does research on sexual selection and conflict in Drosophila. Throughout most of college, I also did metabolomics, pathology, and aging research with Drosophila at the Promislow lab. I'm a very avid musician, since I've been playing various instruments and singing from a young age! Here in New York, I am a vocalist for the Columbia jazz ensemble and occasionally perform in the city! A fun fact about me is that I am a polyglot, and have pursued/presented independent research projects in linguistics as well!
FB: Hi! My name is Fatima Bagom and I’m a Biology major, on the Physiological and Organismal track. I am currently working in the Mansfield Lab at Barnard College, where we study the role of Hoxa5 on the development of the ribs and sternum in mice. A fun fact about me is that I love making pieces of clothing-whether it be through sewing, upcycling, or crocheting!
How did you first get involved in your lab?
LK: In order to find a lab to get involved with, I sent many cold-emails to labs that aligned with my interests and that I wanted to work with. I was able to find the right match with my 13th email. I joined the Andolfatto Lab as part of Barnard’s Summer Research Institute the summer before my sophomore year of college and am currently doing my thesis research at the lab, studying the genetic basis of behavioral isolation in fruit flies.
FB: I had taken genetics with Prof. Mansfield and towards the end of the semester, I reached out to her to ask about undergraduate research in general and what biology research could look like. I come from a background where I didn't have much exposure to academia and I had no idea what it meant to actually do research. During our conversation, she had let me know that her lab was looking for students and if I was interested, she would like to extend the opportunity to me. It really just started off with me sharing my interest with Prof. Mansfield and realizing that her lab may be a good fit for me.
What resources and/or programs have helped you in your research journey?
HS: There are lots of Barnard Biology Summer grants that you can apply to for funding research, especially if you’re not participating in SRI, and need funding for transportation and food costs of your program. I would recommend this especially if you not only need the funding, but would like practice with writing grants! I was able to receive a grant last summer and it was incredibly helpful to me in completing my summer research and preparing for my senior thesis this year.
FB: SRI was a huge stepping stone for me in my research journey. It allowed me to really get engrossed with my research and what the ins and outs of doing research full time looks like. When I was first exploring research opportunities, the SRI information sessions were a great resource in helping me understand how to actually get involved with a lab, which can be a daunting task for people who are not as exposed to the research/academia world.
How can you stay involved with research during the academic year?
FB: There are multiple ways to get academic credits while doing your research. Guided research allows you to just receive credits that correspond to the number of hours you dedicate to your lab, which is how I initially got involved with research. Guided Research and Seminar is another way to get academic credits; it is a more structured course that can fulfill 2 of your upper-level lab requirements for the Biology major. You can also get your time in the lab funded through your work study (if you have it) or other means.
AM: The Guided Research and Seminar class was a fantastic experience that helped me build more confidence in communicating my research with peers. Not only did I deepen my understanding of my own work, but I also found it rewarding to learn about the diverse research projects my classmates in the biology department were pursuing. This year, I am taking the Senior Thesis Research and Seminar, which is similar to the Guided Research and Seminar, but with a slightly different final project. So far, it has been super engaging, and I am excited to continue learning and to further develop my ability to convey my research to others.
What are some of your lab oopsies?
HS: I was working with blue dye during my metabolomics research and I came into the lab to run a procedure right before my sister’s graduation (she was graduating from the same university that I was doing research at), and I forgot to cap a vial, and I sprayed blue dye all over myself, my clothes and hair, skin, AND the lab (and this was after hours). So I had to spend 20 minutes cleaning up, and attended my sister's graduation and took photos covered in blue (which did in fact stain my skin). However, it’s important to remember that everyone, even your PI, and very skilled lab veterans, is going to make mistakes, and you shouldn’t be afraid of them! After all, it’s an important part of the learning process.
FB: This is not necessarily an oopsie, but when I first started in the lab, I had a really hard time adjusting to using a binocular microscope. For my project, it is very important for me to do basically everything under a microscope and I just could not see through the scope. It took me multiple days and searching through many wiki-hows before I realized it was just a matter of how I was letting my eyes focus on the specimen. The whole experience made me realize the importance of having grace with myself and to understand that I could be a total novice and still get involved with research.
What is the most meaningful aspect of doing your research?
AM: One aspect I enjoy most about my research and lab experience is the satisfaction that comes from troubleshooting experiments and interpreting unexpected results in collaboration with other members of the lab. Additionally, I find it incredibly engaging to learn more about the field we are studying — the idea that I could potentially make a positive impact in the field truly motivates me.
HS: I would say I enjoy almost every aspect of working at my lab, from the people that I work with, to the actual wet lab work itself, and getting to answer so many interesting questions, and learn so many skills! During the panel, I mentioned how, during data analysis, there is a point at which you are the only person in the world who knows something. I love that part of it as well. Lastly, I love presenting and communicating my research since I think of it as one of the most important aspects!
- FATIMA BAGOM '26
