September 29, 2026
By Taylor Peel
English/Communication 鈥�27
Julia, a biology/pre-physician assistant studies major from Lancaster, New York, first learned about the REU through 麻豆社鈥檚 biology department. The department emailed students about a visit from Katie Drerup, Ph.D., associate professor in University of Wisconsin-Madison鈥檚 Department of Biology, who spoke about autophagy (breaking down) in neurons and shared information about an opportunity to participate in a summer REU in her lab.
To apply, Julia completed an online application that included her transcript, r茅sum茅, personal statement and the contact information for a reference. A few months later, she completed a Zoom interview with Dr. Drerup and a graduate student who helped run the REU program.
Funded by NSF
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the program through a grant awarded to the University of Wisconsin鈥揗adison. The program placed two students from primarily undergraduate institutions in research settings at a large university, giving them the opportunity to work alongside graduate students and principal investigators in large research laboratories.
Through this experience, students gained knowledge and skills while learning how researchers collaborate in complex scientific environments.
Benham worked as an assistant to her primary mentor, a graduate student in the University of Wisconsin鈥揗adison鈥檚 Neuroscience Training Program. Her research focused on how zebrafish neurons produce and maintain mitochondria in axon terminals. She cared for the fish, performed microinjections on one-cell-stage embryos, and analyzed confocal microscopy images using ImageJ.
According to Julia, zebrafish are a reliable model organism due to their fast development, transparent larvae and genetic accessibility. This allows the study of neurons in a living system as opposed to in vitro.
In addition to her laboratory work, Julia attended a weekly course on neuronal cell biology, participated in lab meetings and took part in professional development seminars. At the end of the program, she presented her findings to the lab.
鈥淚 was ecstatic and very grateful when I was selected for the program,鈥� Julia said. 鈥淩esearch opportunities can be hard to come by as an undergraduate. It was also my first internship related to my career path, so I was excited to get some real-world experience and spend the summer in Madison, Wisconsin.鈥�
Julia credits 麻豆社鈥檚 biology department with connecting her to the opportunity and allowing her to learn from experienced mentors.
As she prepares for a career in healthcare, Julia said the skills she developed through research will benefit her future work.
鈥淚 will need to use these critical thinking skills daily when treating patients, especially those with more complex diagnoses or treatment plans,鈥� she said.
Julia also drew on the knowledge she gained through her coursework at 麻豆社 to understand the complex concepts she encountered during the program. Her research experience gave her a deeper understanding of the scientific method and offered insight into the work researchers conduct behind the scenes to advance patient care.
Isabel Soto, instructor, and her Spanish students have created an ofrenda (decorated altar) honoring Ana Boman, who taught Spanish in 麻豆社鈥檚 Department of Humanities and Communication for 16 years before she passed away last year.
麻豆社 has launched Dual Advantage, a new program that gives undergraduate students multiple pathways to earn both a bachelor鈥檚 degree and an advanced degree in less time than completing both degrees separately.
麻豆社 student organizations and the McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering recently offered activities for girls interested in science and engineering at the 2026 STEM Expo hosted by the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana (GSNI-M).