This week's spotlight is Jaelyn Anderson, an undergraduate researcher in the Kienle lab for the biology department!
What interested you to pursue a career in STEM?
There have been a few events in my life that lead me into STEM. When I was nineteen, I witnessed how incredible emergency medicine can be when my grandfather was saved by his surgical team after experiencing an aortic aneurysm. This is what opened my eyes to how powerful science can be. I later joined the Marine Corps as a military police officer and found purpose during medical assist calls. I realized I felt very comfortable responding and acting during these types of emergencies. Later, in my military career I began to struggle with injuries and sought out medical care. I found quite a bit of adversity when trying to be heard for the pain I was experiencing, and I noticed that I was not alone in this struggle. I was able to eventually receive the medical care that I needed, however there were complications from the experimental procedure that led to me having to make a decision over my enlistment. My first option was to change my occupation as an MP to working in an administrative position with no guarantee that I would remain close to my unit. My second option was to go before a medical board and end my contract early. I decided that if I was not able to help people while being active duty, then I would find a way to help outside of the military. As the medical board process began, I started to think about where I would go with my contract ending. I knew how awful it had felt to be ignored over injuries that seemed obvious, I knew that I had a passion for helping people, and I knew that I missed learning in an academic setting. This lead to me deciding that I was going to pursue a career in healthcare, so I enrolled in classes and began studying human biology. I began to enjoy the challenges and short-term goal accomplishments that came with the STEM field. This cemented my pathway in STEM which lead me to studying here at Baylor University. These events motivated me to establish the goal that I would never let a person feel unheard or leave them questioning quality of care. I believe that each person should be treated as a human, and now I am studying so that I can be part of that solution.
How would you describe your work to the public?
I primarily assist my mentor, Emily Sperou, with researching the diets and hormones of Leopard Seals. My role focuses on preparing tissue samples for stable isotope analysis, time stamping results, along with other smaller projects. We have begun to prepare for lipid extraction for hormone analysis to further understand how stress could be affecting species.
Outside of the lab, what do you enjoy doing?
One hobby that I have held onto is playing the guitar and singing. I began teaching myself how to play in 2018 and have enjoyed the little victories that come with mastering new songs. Outside of this I volunteer with my town’s Fire Department. I live in a rural area so the VFD is the main emergency response system for the area.
Is there something during your research career that you have really enjoyed or want to share?
Myself, and my lab partner Azana Best have built the world’s largest database for leopard seal whisker samples under the guidance of Emily Sperou. I also completed the B-TRUE fellowship with Baylor University.
If you can give a piece of advice to the younger generation, what would it be?
As a non-traditional student, I would say take your time with goals and experiences. Try not to get a caught up rushing through life chapters.
Is there a female scientist that particularly inspires you?
Dr. Rizalia Klausmeyer