Nsf Personal Statement Essay

I have spent the majority of my biology career located between the macro world and the micro world. While majoring in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, I came to appreciate animal life histories and ecological and evolutionary principles. On the other hand, I filled my elective class schedule with courses that most wildlife ecology students would consider obscure, such as cell biology, endocrinology, immunology, and microbiology. With knowledge in these diverse fields, I developed an extreme curiosity in how different disciplines of biology can be integrated. Specifically, I have been drawn to the field of physiological ecology, which is the study of how organisms are physiologically adapted to various environmental conditions. This discipline integrates many areas of study, provides a better understanding of animal ecology and evolution, and results can have applications in wildlife management and conservation. Personally, physiological ecology is the ideal field for me as it satisfies my interests in various levels of biological organization. As I learn the natural history of an animal, I often hypothesize about the physiological processes underlying these facts. Likewise, as I read the literature on physiology, I often speculate on the possible ecological implications of the information. With these inquiries, I fit perfectly in to the lab of Dr. William Karasov, a physiological ecologist at University of Wisconsin – Madison. Instead of simply speculating, I was actually able to develop hypotheses and design experiments to test them. I spent three years conducting research on how diet and age affect modulation of digestive enzymes in song birds. Results from my experiments have allowed me to coauthor a paper which was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, and give numerous presentations at national scientific meetings. Through my work here I have come to realize the integrated nature of biology, and realize that discoveries made in one area can have great relevance to other areas. It is because of the integrative nature of biology that I have gained an appreciation for collaboration with peers. Collaboration allows different researchers to bring their own expertise, and together great scientific work can be done. During my time in the Karasov lab I enjoyed working with visiting researchers from Poland and Argentina, post-doctoral associates, and fellow undergraduates. The most gratifying collaborative experience I have had was mentoring several students through their own independent research projects. In the summer of 2008 I mentored Lilly Pearson, a …