3 August 2007
Laura Florez
Universidad de Los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia
Dear Ambassador and Mrs. Jean Lane,
For someone as
enthusiastic towards science as I am, participating in the Research
Training Program (RTP), an opportunity created by your endowment, was
an unparalleled experience, and for that I truly thank you. This internship
has given me the extraordinary opportunity to learn about a variety
of scientific disciplines in addition to my own, and to conduct research
under the guidance of world-renown scientists.
The most rewarding
aspect of the program for me was exploring my diverse scientific interests
and meeting goals, bringing me closer to my aspiration of becoming a
well-rounded individual and future scientist. It has also been of incalculable
value to learn in the company of other students with similar enthusiasm
towards science. As a foreign student, being in contact with people
who have different academic and cultural backgrounds has been a truly
enriching experience. In my country, the possibilities to participate
in such well based research programs are scarce; a fact which increases
the personal significance of this opportunity.
For my summer RTP
project, I have been working on DNA barcoding of Pheidole, a
genus of ants. This is part of a global initiative to create a rapid
and efficient method of species identification. It is expected to play
an important role in many different fields such as conservation ecology
and agriculture, as well as being a complementary tool for taxonomy
and evolutionary studies. Publication of the results from this project
is intended at the end of this year. I have worked under the guidance
of first-class scientists Dr. Ted Schultz and Dr. Seán Brady.
They have provided excellent mentoring and have given me invaluable
insight in their field of study. It has been an excellent opportunity
to learn about a variety of appealing topics that I now wish to include
in my aspirations as a researcher.
I truly thank you
for making this exceptional experience possible. I am sure it will be
fundamental in furthering my contributions to science, and what I'm
hoping to accomplish.
Sincerely,
Laura Florez
Research Training Program
Class of '07