Nicolette Keller
Class of 2005
Thurgood Marshall Academy
Topic: Immunology of Celiac Disease
About:
Being chosen as one of only three ninth grade students from Thurgood Marshall Academy by Dr. Sat Bhattacharya to participate in a scientific program veered toward mainly older high school students, I felt much pride. The interview with Dr. Sat was nerve-wracking and I felt I was certain he wouldn’t pick me, because not only was I young, but the work expectation and the competition was high. However, knowing that I would have to face twelfth and eleventh grade scientific research gave me a reason to feel scared and intimidated. Being a freshman from a small school, I had no previous advanced scientific lab work experience. I was not prepared.
My mentor, Dr. Manavalan, realized that I had no previous knowledge and also having a lab overflowing with students, separated me from the group and sent me to work with the secretary of Dr. Peter Green, one of the founders of the Celiac Disease Center and also one of the most experienced Celiac Disease Specialist in the world.
This program helped me to realize that although I would have had some trouble with the research, I still should have asserted myself at the beginning of the program to make sure I was exposed and participated in some kind of hands on scientific research. In the end, knowing I didn’t try my hardest to work to my full extent in this program makes me want to try even harder the next time.
The weekly seminars gave me a chance to talk with others about their own projects and to look at the projects previously done, which we were always reminded to do! The talks exposed me to knowledge I wouldn’t have researched or found out about. The presentations that the teens did show how well people can work together and showed how responsible one needs to be about their work and how important it really is. The Harlem Children Society’s scientific internship program has given me a rare opportunity to see the behind the scenes of a working celiac disease doctor’s office as well as a research facility. The program has also helped me to meet new people and to learn from them as they learned from their mentors as well as others.