Science Heroes Home Page > Adrianne Chesser

Adrianne Chesser

OMSI: Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

AC: Born and raised in Portland, OR.

OMSI: What three words best describe you?

AC: Enthusiastic, dedicated, humorous.

OMSI: As a child, did you have any hobbies, interests, or experiences that helped prepare you for success in science?

AC: I loved to play outside in the dirt, finding dead bugs that I would keep as a collection. I also collected shells, rocks and just about everything else. I constantly asked questions and wanted to know how and why things were the way they were. This natural curiosity continues to propel me in my desire to be a scientist.

OMSI: Please tell us about a mentor or teacher who helped to inspire your interest in science.

AC: I have had a great many teachers who have encouraged my pursuits and aided my progress, as well as excellent mentors. I feel that each one has contributed to my love of science, and to where I am today. Mrs. Jensvold, my sixth grade teacher, encouraged one of my very first attempts at a science experiment (I wanted to imprint a chick) and later helped with my rather ambitious (and doomed) eighth grade science fair experiment seeking to determine if there is a link between cell phones and cancer. Mr. Chambers, my eighth grade science teacher, made earth science interesting. Mr. Eide, my incomparable and amazing high school chemistry teacher (regular and AP), forced me to work harder than I thought I could, at the same time giving me the gift of a real interest in chemistry as a subject, rather than a class to get through. Mr. Doltar, my outstanding AP Biology teacher, taught me more than I thought could be possible, and also made it stick. He encouraged my extracurricular pursuit of science research and gave me endless support.

My first mentor, Dr. Leslie Muldoon, made my initial lab experience exceedingly rewarding, enabling me to defy the commonly held view that as soon as I actually got into a lab I would realize I didn't want to spend my life there. Everyone who said that is wrong. Dr. Jacob Raber gave me another wonderful experience, exposing me to many different lab processes, and never failing to explain when I had questions. He also encouraged my participation in the Intel NW Science Expo. My most recent mentor, Dr. Hong-Ming Hu, didn't treat me like a student, and gave me responsibilities in the lab, which was very rewarding. He also went out of his way to explain what I didn't understand, and really made me a part of the lab. In addition to these mentors, in every lab I have been befriended and aided by wonderful individuals, especially Jenny Robertson and Rui Li, who each were wonderful teachers and friends.

OMSI: What's the worst trouble you ever got into in school? Have you ever blown anything up?

AC: I've definitely blown things up, but only under allowed circumstances! My AP Chemistry class did a number of explosive experiments, so much so that we were required by the principal to alert the surrounding neighborhood before our planned big explosion day. Beyond that, I've never gotten into trouble at school.

OMSI: Describe a difficult situation that you were in and how you handled it.

AC: I had a heck of a time getting registered for the science fair. The process was complicated, and my mentor had no previous experience any type of student fair. There was a lot of confusion regarding the status of my project, what special forms needed to be filled out, and other details. I was in constant contact with the director of the fair, Mike Ellison, who was extremely helpful in sorting out the issues. I was essentially involved in the process of registering for months, and it was at times exceedingly frustrating, especially because I felt I was getting little outside direction or support. But since I was dedicated to participating in the fair, I kept tracking things down and making sure everything was in order. I only was finally cleared the evening before the fair! It was difficult to have had to deal with that, in addition to my actual research, which I was working on until the week before the fair, as well as my regular schoolwork. Overall, though, the stress paid off and I had a wonderful experience at the fair.

OMSI: What is your dream? What do you most hope to accomplish in your career?

AC: My dream is to be able to work in a research field that I am interested in and dedicated to, and through my work, to find a way to better treat a disease or ideally, to prevent it. In my career I hope to accomplish an extensive body of work, writing many scientific papers that convey important information. I hope to be recognized as an expert in my field, and through my research, increase our understanding of how the human body functions and malfunctions in order to improve our ability to care for individuals. I hope my research will lead to advances that give everyone a better length and quality of life.

OMSI: How do you feel about the current state of science education in the U.S.?

AC: I think it is uneven; there are schools that do an amazing job teaching science, but for the most part, there needs to be stronger science education. I wish there was more focus on creativity in science, and in teaching students to be excited by it. There should certainly be more opportunities for students to get involved in science outside the classroom, through science fairs, workshops, internships, etc. Science is necessarily hands-on, and I think there could be more of that overall.

OMSI: What do you like to do in your free time?

AC: I love to read and listen to music. I run (a lot; actually, not so much in my free time since I run everyday for Cross Country/Track, but I like it). I also do other sports and activities-I am on an intramural soccer team. I love being outdoors, especially hiking and camping. Sleep is also very exciting when you're in college. I spend time with friends. We laugh. A lot. I sing, by myself and with friends: we are starting a band, and we practice when we have the chance.

OMSI: What do you consider your very best skill?

AC: I have no idea what my BEST skill is. I have knowledge of many lab techniques and processes, and am good at performing them and learning new ones. I am good at running. I write well. But I guess I could say my best skill is my ability to tackle any challenge that I face and to persevere until I have overcome it.

OMSI: Please tell us about your science fair project. How did you come up with the idea for your project? How did you go about researching and building your project? What was it like to participate in the science fair, and what do you remember most from the fair?

AC: I spent the summer of 2002 working in Dr. Raber's lab, which studies Alzheimer's disease (AD). During the summer I completed a project that investigated the effects the expression of a genetic risk factor for AD had on the receptor for the hormone glucocorticoid. My research demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of the glucocorticoid receptor is down-regulated by the risk factor. This data was very interesting, and I wanted to know why this occurred. For my science fair project, I decided to investigate the underlying mechanism behind the down-regulation. I discussed possible hypotheses with my mentor, as well as potential experimental methods. My hypothesis was that the receptor was unable to translocate to the nucleus to initiate transcription. I then chose the method that was best suited to what I could do. I went to the lab after school several times a week, sometimes every day to complete the experiments. I used molecular biology techniques: cells in culture, transfected with the risk factor I was investigating, treated with a synthesized version of glucocorticoid and then tested using Western blot staining. I determined that ineffective translocation of the hormone receptor from the cytoplasm to the nucleus was not what was causing the down-regulated transcriptional activity.

The science fair was a wonderful experience. I felt like such a part of a community: I was surrounded by students and other individuals who shared my passion for science. I loved talking to other students about their projects, and mine, and sharing their enthusiasm. I also enjoyed talking to the judges, because they were knowledgeable in the area, and I felt, and was treated, as if I was their peer. This gave me an amazing feeling of accomplishment, to be able to present research I had done to others who were as excited as I was about science. It was also nice to be recognized for my achievements: walking across the stage to receive my medal I was probably grinning like an idiot!

OMSI: If you were to build your science fair project again, would you do anything differently?

AC: I am very happy with my project, the research as well as and the poster I presented at the fair. I would have liked to have more time to do additional experiments to back up my data, but overall I am extremely satisfied. I do hope to be able to present further work I do, if not in a science fair, in a scientific conference in the future.

OMSI: Please tell us about your educational plans and goals.

AC: I will major in Biology here at Carleton, doing research on campus and during the summers in a broad range of topics. I then intend to go to graduate school. I may spend a year or two in a research lab finding an area of research focus first, so that when I get to grad school I know what I want to do. From there I hope to find a job that allows me to pursue research in the area I find compels me the most.

OMSI: What is your favorite class this year?

AC: I have enjoyed my two intro Biology classes (I am currently taking the second). I am also taking Intro to Psychology, which is fascinating, especially because we are learning a lot about how the brain functions, and I have a particular interest in neuroscience.

OMSI: Have you had any on the job training or science related work experience?

AC: I have had three internships in biomedical research labs. Through these experiences I have learned many of the basic lab skills and techniques. I am comfortable with: DNA extraction and purification from tissue; Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); gel electrophoresis; DNA extraction and purification from gel; DNA quantification using a spectrophotometer; luciferase and ELISA assays; transfection and cell culture (human and muring, adherent and non-adherent cells). I am also familiar with the procedure for performing Western blots, and with flow cytometry. I am comfortable using micropipetters, vortex machines, centrifuges, PCR machines, spectrophotometers and cell-culture hoods. I have worked with mice. I can use Excel and Prism for data analysis, and have experience developing databases for samples. I have kept lab notebooks for all positions, developed PowerPoint presentations and given journal clubs.