Marilyn Sun
Marilyn Sun spent last summer doing research with Dr. Tara Klassen’s lab, as part of the Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), and achieved a travel award to attend the 2015 CSPS/AFPC conference in Toronto. We caught up with Marilyn to learn more about her experiences.
What interested you in the SSRP?
I was interested in the SSRP program because it gave me an opportunity to apply what I learned in the classroom. Having come into the Faculty right after my first year, I wasn’t able to get much lab experience outside my chemistry courses. After I toured Dr. Klassen’s lab I became very interested in what she did, such as PCR to micro-pipette. Seeing this, I wanted to try it out and learn more about it so I applied to her lab for an SSRP position.
As many students only look towards the clinical side of pharmacy, ignoring the research aspects, I recommend others to get their hands messy and challenge themselves by trying out research. While it may be difficult, the experience will be rewarding. I found that I grew a lot over the course of the summer and gained a lot of transferable skills such as increased dexterity in my hands and time management.
What was your best memory of the program?
The best memory of the program for me was that every day there were small successes – for instance learning a new technique or having a result come out. Another highlight was the great relationships that I was able to build with the people in my lab. We saw each other as a team and were there for each other. They were consistently very helpful to me and I am very grateful for their guidance and mentorship.
What are you most excited about in attending the 2015 CSPS conference?
First of all I’ve never been in Toronto so I am excited to get to see the city. It is also my first big conference so I am excited to meet the other award winners, meet others from different schools and provinces, network and explore pharmaceutical sciences more. It will allow me to experience other areas of research, including both clinical and experimental.
Follow