Say Hello to OUR Alumna & Biology Masters Student, Jennifer Flores Moreno ??

Among the valuable opportunities at Cal Poly Pomona, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) capitalizes on the Polytechnic experience with programs, workshops, events, and conferences that enable students in all disciplines to expand their academic career through research.?Jennifer Flores Moreno, a fellow OUR alumna and Biology master’s student at Cal Poly Pomona, reflects on her Polytechnic experience with us as she pursues her goal of becoming a professor.??

Q: What field of research did you study while in your undergraduate program???

My major was general biology, and I was interested in microbiology at the time. Alongside the College of Agriculture, I studied validating parasite counting methodology. I was involved in a teaching program on campus known as the Prete Fellowship, where I developed science lessons for a bilingual third-grade classroom. I was able to teach science in Spanish and it was one of the experiences that I attribute to my want to become an educator.??

Q: How did you first hear about your undergraduate research program??

The RIO program was a wild experience. I knew I needed to gain research experience and saw an email come in and I just applied not even realizing what I was signing up for. Even though I was a biology major, the advisor I ended up with was from the College of Agriculture because he was the closest to my field. It was a very casual process for me, but in retrospect, I realize how happy of an accident that was.??

Q: How do you feel that your undergraduate program has impacted you????

It opened doors I did not even know existed. Research provided me with knowledge outside of the standard curriculum and gave me my first hands-on experience in the laboratory. My current field of research is biology education and while that may seem like a big jump, there are core lessons that I learned in this undergraduate program that I used to my benefit to enter my graduate program.?

Q: What was your most memorable moment while you were part of your research program??

Working with the animals on the CPP farm was the most memorable part of my research project because I went from never having a pet at home to handling 86 sheep every week! I love my little buddies!"??

Q: Did participating in undergraduate research influence your decision to go to grad school or join a profession??

Yes! Having the experience from this program introduced me to the world of academia, outside of the classroom, and gave me the confidence to believe I could make it in this field.?

Q: How did Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing Philosophy impact your studies as an undergraduate???

I gained wet lab skills, pipetted for the first time, and got research certifications there! This experience with the RIO/ECRA was the foundation of my understanding of the research world with razzle-dazzle experiences like animal handling. Learning the curriculum is great but putting yourself out there and working with experts in their field is an experience that is priceless. Additionally, learning by doing has taught me that it cannot end with your singular experience, this culture exists because of the people who learn skills and then turn around and teach the next generation. That is a beautiful thing!???

Q: What advice would you give to undergraduates looking to get more involved in undergraduate research??

Cold email and ask around for opportunities people might know about! In my experience, I have earned so many more opportunities by following up via email or asking a professor something about their research. Never count yourself out!??

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