Here is a link to my Resume:
ResumeForAkankshaMalhotraScholars
Month: August 2017
Artifacts
Research has been an integral part of my life as soon as I decided I wanted to pursue the sciences. I chose this artifact because it was a key point in my life- This was the first time I had been entirely responsible for a project. With this project, I competed in many symposiums, science fairs, and had the opportunity to showcase work that I had invested hundreds of hours in.
My research in the lab was titled “ME2 Gene Expression is associated with Epilepsy.” Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy (IGE) is classified as a category of epilepsy that is believed to have a strong genetic cause. Epilepsy is diagnosed when there are spontaneous “electric storms,” caused by an abnormally high amount of brain activity. These effects can be counteracted with GABA, the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Since IGE is believed to have an underlying genetic factor, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotypes were used to determine the association between IGE and Malic Enzyme 2 (ME2). ME2 is a gene that is involved in the production of GABA. The association was determine using a linear regression in the programming language “R.” ME2 expression was regressed onto SNP genotypes and a linear equation was created. This equation was then used to predict ME2 expression in the cases, or living subjects. After the prediction and comparison of ME2 levels among the two groups, ME2 was found to be differentially expressed, proving that a lack of ME2 results in IGE.
This project is symbolic in the sense that it taught me the true meaning of research. Before this, I thought of research solely consisted of lab coats and animal testing; however, there are many different aspects of research that have such a large impact. While I did research for 8 years of my life, this project was the most memorable because I grew not only academically, but also as a person.
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Akanksha Malhotra and I am a Biological Sciences Scholar. I am ecstatic to go to OSU and cannot wait to see what the Scholars program has in store. Meeting new people and exploring new places is something I look forward to at OSU. I chose the Scholars Program because of the close-knit community it offers inside of a large campus. With this program, I am able to enjoy the opportunities a large school has to offer as well as the small community for academics and a social life.
Generally I am an extrovert and love to talk whenever I can; however, when it comes to an academic setting, I prefer small-medium class sizes where I can get to know each person. Additionally, I enjoy the facilitation of group discussions in a smaller classroom. Biology/Anatomy, Spanish, and Math are subjects that interest me the most. While at OSU, I hope to get a major in Biology and obtain a career in Pharmaceutical sales or go to Medical School. I took Spanish for 5 years in high school and if there is ample time, I would like to get a minor in Spanish. As I obtain these degrees, I plan to take advantage of the study abroad programs OSU offers. In high school I went to Nicaragua and would love to return to another Spanish-speaking country and give back to the community, more specifically helping in ways related to a degree in Biology (in clinics, etc.).
While academics are a top priority for me, I strive to maintain a balanced life-style. Outside the classroom, I take an interest in planning events and want to continue this as a member of OSU’s student government. In high school, I was a student researcher for OSU’s CAPS center (2015-2016) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital (2016-2017). Both of these research opportunities consisted of research in dry labs. At OSU, I hope to obtain a different research experience in order to better understand the field of research. Aside from research and student government, community service has been a part of my lifestyle for years and I hope to be a part of an organization that helps women and children around the world. Through these experiences, I strive to become a more well-rounded person and take advantage of all the opportunities OSU has to offer, both inside and outside the classroom! 🙂
Welcome to my Honors & Scholars e-Portfolio
Hi! Welcome to my Homepage! My name is Akanksha Malhotra and I’m a Biological Scholars Science Student. I love meeting new people and pushing myself to try new things! I am extremely excited to share my experiences with you and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do!
Year in Review
The first semester of college can be daunting, but at the same time comes the most exciting opportunities. Right off the bat, students are thrown into a academic world. However, the challenging courses students are required to take allow students to push themselves to become better learners. High school curriculum consisted of memorization and the rigor of college courses allows students to understand and apply content, rather than memorize it.
While academic growth is crucial, in order to be a holistic student, growing in the social realm is just as important. This semester, I joined USG, which gave me a new insight of campus. Learning about the problems on campus and how the students can fix them allowed me to grow as a leader and become a voice for the undergraduate population.
Lastly, as a Biological Sciences Scholar, the various events throughout the year such as our canned food drive and service events pushed me to grow as a citizen and realize the importance of giving back to society, even amidst academic stress.
Overall, the last semester has been the time in my life that I have grown the most. As I look back to the first day of school, I can’t say I’m the same person. My journey at OSU started off positive and I look forward to the future challenges and experiences and how they will shape my personality.
G.O.A.L.S.
Global Awareness: The background of each individual results in unique thinking and their important contribution to the world. Having an open mind and understanding fellow students’ culture and mindset allows for one’s thought process to advance and have different approaches when trying to solve a problem. This can be achieved by joining cultural organizations,
Original Inquiry: A majority of the learning happens outside the classroom. As students spend hours in class, it is important they further develop their thinking by applying the content learned through mediums such as research or study abroad programs. Learning to combine knowledge and the application of it are what define original inquiry.
Academic Enrichment: Students learn to enrich themselves when they pursue courses that challenge them and force them to think outside the box. Students also learn to supplement their academics with extra curriculars in order to apply their recently learned knowledge.
Leadership Development: In order to develop one’s leadership, one must push themselves to try new activities outside of their comfort zone. Being around various groups of people, aside from your honors and scholars community, allows for development of leadership skills including organization, etc.
Service Engagement: As an academically excelling student, it is crucial to give back to society. Dedicating time to society builds character and allows one to grow as a person, aside from academically.