Amie Hankins
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Durant, OK
Dear National Science Foundation,
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to NSF for providing the funding that has allowed me to participate in the National Museum of Natural History’s Research Training Program (RTP). Because of your generosity, I have had the amazing opportunity to work with a highly respected and extremely motivated woman in my career field of choice. She has been a patient and understanding guide through this, my first research study. At first, the entire process of research was new and challenging to me, but the concepts, methods, and techniques that I have had the chance to learn will be useful in my future scientific career. Coming from such a small Oklahoma college, it is easy for me to say that I very likely would not have been able to gain this practical knowledge and experience any other way.
The entire summer has been an adventure unlike any other, and I feel extremely
lucky and privileged to have been part of the RTP program. Along with the
vastly valuable knowledge I have gained of research science, this internship
has opened new doors into my own personal development and intellectual growth
through a rich array of cultural and educational experiences. As a small-town
girl, simply being allowed to live in the nation’s capitol has been a
reward in itself, and the chance to work at and be a part of the Smithsonian
has been a great honor. None of this would have been possible without your
support!
In the fall, I will be a senior biology major at my university. With this
outstanding internship under my belt, I now feel that I have the necessary
knowledge and understanding to undertake my own research project at home.
I will have the chance not only to use these new data collection and research
methods, but also to share them with both my peers and professors. This incredible
opportunity has opened my eyes even more to the variety of goals and discoveries
that can be achieved with a career in science, and even though I have no way
of knowing where life will lead me on my journey, I do know that I will be
well prepared! I thank you once again and hope that this program will continue
to offer similar experiences to young researchers in the future.
Sincerely,
Amie Hankins
Research Training Program, 2002