The Flame Stays Lit: The Story of Teamwork in a Challenging Research Program by Isabel

The Flame Stays Lit: The Story of Teamwork in a Challenging Research Program by Isabel - February 2023 Scholarship Essay

Imagine this: you’re in the middle of an experiment under the flame, meaning you are working with a bunsen burner that prevents your experiment from being ruined due to contaminated. Then with no warning the flame goes out. Your hands are full, and you cannot relight it. However, you cannot go on without the flame. That is where your next door neighbor saves you by responding to your cry for help and lighting it for you. This is just one example of team work that happened countless times in my research lab last semester.

At the start of the program, I was extremely nervous. I was in a group of strangers who all seemed incredibly smart. In retrospect, it turned out that none of us knew what we were doing. After all, we were all new to a real research lab setting. However, I soon realized that by working together, and having each other’s backs we could overcome any faulty experiment or challenging procedure.
The program was structured that allowed each student to conduct research on their own bacteriophage. We got to perform a lot of experiments, and it was so cool. Our professor challenged us to tell him our plan and theories rather than ask a question since it was our research. This was where teamwork really came into play.

The majority of the time, someone was always confused about a procedure or didn't understand something. Although we were all working on our own phages, we worked together to master and understand the material. This collaboration forged an instant bond among us, and we were there to help each other out whenever someone needed it. For example, my bench mate would relight the flame if it went out on me while I was performing an experiment under it. Or we would explain the procedure to each other or stop each other from messing up our experiment. Even just provide moral support when someone was frustrated or was having a rough day. This close-knit community was vital to our success in the lab. Without teamwork, I wouldn't have made it through that research lab. It was the most challenging lab I have ever done, but thanks to everyone working together, we all came through and loved the experience. The bond we formed from helping each other out was so strong that it continues even though we are no longer in the lab together. We talk about it nearly everyday in some way. It was our entire life last semester.

In the end, teamwork is the most important soft skill that has helped me in college. It has allowed me to collaborate with others, overcome obstacles, and succeed in a challenging research lab. Teamwork has also created a sense of community and support, making the experience more enjoyable and memorable. I believe that the ability to work well with others will be invaluable as I continue college and beyond in the cancer research world.