Personal Statement - Tsri

Jennifer Johnson Personal Statement December 2009 Growing up, my sister, Heather, and I were very close. We were very close in age, yes, but we were also very good friends. The two of us would talk about everything from how mean our mother is being to the monsters under the bed. After a neighborhood friend got sick, we had a conversation that I will never forget: my sister and I mutually agreed at the ages of 6 and 7 that no one in our family would ever get truly sick. Things like that didn’t happen to people like us, we thought. Tragically, not even one year later, she was diagnosed with cancer: Osteogenic Sarcoma. These malignant cells started in her leg, which was later amputated, then spread to her lungs. The cancer took her life after fighting it with chemotherapy for 2 years. The loss was, and still is, devastating to the entire family. Because of this, I intend to make a difference. Before high school, I always thought that the best way to impact the world would be to become a physician. That way, I could help people, like Heather, get better. Then, I took my first chemistry course. It was an eye opening experience. I was always a good student, but chemistry just came naturally-and this was just the high school version. By the time I was a sophomore at Loganville High, I knew that I would go to college in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry to prepare for a life of research. So, that’s where I am right now. I went on to attend Valdosta State University and obtained a co-op position at a regulatory consulting agency, Rivendell USA. At Rivendell, I compiled numerous reports to aid in the registration of plant protection products with the Environmental Protection Agency. During the summer after my second year at Valdosta State, I traveled to Ireland to work for Rivendell’s home office where I compiled over twenty 200 page reports and submitted them to the European Union in support of the registration of four separate plant protection products. I was in Ireland for six weeks and was able to truly experience the culture. As a junior at Valdosta State, I had the opportunity to work in studies of organic reactions with Professor John Barbas. This work was quite exciting, and I could not wait to learn more about true research. The summer after my junior year, I was accepted into the REU program held at Columbia University. There, the true nature of graduate work was revealed, and I loved it. Working with the Lambert Group on oxidation and reduction reactions using tropylium taught me many lab techniques that were previously unfamiliar to me. Upon my return to Valdosta, I decided to nurture my curiosity gained from two introductory courses in biochemistry by joining Professor Yakov Woldman in researching liposomes made from the lipids of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. My experiences in undergraduate school have shaped my interests in chemistry and my desires for a graduate education. I found that though I find each element of research interesting, I most enjoy performing the actual experiments in the laboratory. I find great excitement whether the results were expected or unexpected. Though I enjoy the bench work the most, I am probably best at data analysis due to the practice I had at Rivendell. Writing papers, on the other hand, is difficult because I am often too vague and assume that the reader will understand my point with only the information given. The paper writing process also takes me a very long time. 1

I have had laboratory experience in many fields of chemistry as an undergraduate student. Due to my undergraduate courses, I chose to engage in research in biochemistry and organic chemistry. Though both fields are exciting, I now know that I am best suited for biochemistry. Working with cells and living organisms is more interesting to me than a reaction tube containing molecules. Biochemistry also seems more immediately applicable to our everyday lives. I know that the way to true discoveries, however, is through multiple disciplines. My undergraduate experience leads me to the pursuit of admission to the graduate program at The Scripps Research Institute. I chose TSRI because this institute offers unique opportunities that are of particular interest to me. I am specifically looking for a place where the education is interdisciplinary, and I can use my organic/biochemistry background in conjunction with research that will aid in medical discoveries. The collaboration between the scientists of TSRI in La Jolla, TSRI in Jupiter, and the neighboring institutions is also sought after. If admitted, I would take advantage of these opportunities. I would also take part in giving back to the community by mentoring high school students with the Summer Research Internship Program and developing high school curriculum with the Partnership Scholars Program. After researching the interests of the faculty of TSRI, I find that there are many scientists that I would be thrilled and honored to learn from. These are just a few reasons that The Scripps Research Institute is the place where I wish to pursue my doctoral degree. I have not yet decided where I will be after I receive a PhD in chemistry but, I am sure that my passion for chemistry and biochemistry will eventually lead me to a life of research with which I will make a difference.

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