...well really I wanna be a doctor, but at least now I have a better understanding of what bioengineering is.
When I applied to MIT, one of the admissions questions was "Which department or program appeals to you and why?" I had already known I absolutely loved biology, specifically human and cellular physiology, so it was then that I had my mini Course 7 vs Course 20 crisis. Of course as this was only the application I was not expected to stick to the Course I wrote about, but I still knew that I would come across with a lot more passion if I chose the department I felt suited my interests more clearly.
I chose Course 20 because I want to invent more than just learn. I want to design and fix more than just experiment. And I want to solve more than just ask. Biology is the study of life and the molecules that make it up. Bioengineering is the study of how to use life to solve awesome challenges. That's what stuck out to me. I want to solve -- or at least begin to solve -- problems that inflict the lives and well-being of people all around the world.
20.109 has really been a transformative class for me. When I was in high school I worked in a lab for a while, but I didn't have a great deal of knowledge under my belt. My freshman and sophomore years here I worked in a lab again, except the premise of my work was in organic chemistry, an area I am not as passionate about. Then I got the opportunity to study DNA damage and repair. I got to optimize and utilize a new technology that is likely to revolutionize this research sphere. Then I got to genetically modify bacteria to produce more ethanol. I got to use cutting edge CRISPRi molecular biology that too is likely to change the course of humanity for the better. Then I got to build and test a battery with a cathode made out of viruses. I got to implement the same incredible protocol that even President Obama was privileged to witness first hand.
I feel so fortunate to have had these opportunities. Thinking about the amount of work the 109 staff put into this class, it puts a smile on my face knowing you all care so much about our education and our development as biologists and engineers. Lab classes are often boring. We often have to follow a protocol to a tee without really understanding why we're mixing A with B, etc., etc. and it really can feel like mind-numbing work. This class was very different. The prelab lectures put everything into perspective. The prelab presentations helped form the basis for the work we would do that day, and I never felt like I was working on a protocol I didn't understand. The work itself was absolutely remarkable. I am sure this is the only class in the world that gives undergrads the opportunity to work on these three specific areas all in one semester.
The best part about this class was the confidence it instilled in me as I move forward in my bioengineering education. Not only did the labs teach me the biology, chemistry, and engineering I'll need as I advance, but all of the assignments have made me a much more informed student and aspiring scientist. We worked in groups to write a research paper. We worked independently on an extensive research report. And we worked in groups again to design a potentially game-changing biotechnology or protocol. Looking back on this class, we did so much it really is hard to believe we squeezed it all into three months of work.
I think the reason I love this discipline so much is because it so beautifully combines a passion to directly and personally change lives with the cutting edge science necessary to do so. 20.109 put that into perspective for me. I am forever thankful because of that.
I really want to again thank the 109 staff (Noreen, Leslie, Maxine, Angela, Sean, Emily, and Bevin). Your dedication to us made this class so enjoyable and so fulfilling. I hope you know how much all of us appreciate the hard work you all did for us. You all are what is great about MIT and about Course 20.
With appreciation always,
David
P.S. These beaker DNA mugs are amazing!! I use it all the time now.
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