When I was deciding which stream I wanted to join, I considered whether the lab was well-rounded in the type of skills taught and the kind of work done. I wanted a lab that was fun and would teach me skills people would find interesting. As a stream that focuses… read more
Student Experience
“DIY is a family!!”
There are hundreds of different programs and organizations within the University of Texas. FRI falls within those, but out of the 42 research streams, there is only DIY Diagnostics. As a first year, I was afraid of making a mistake. I was afraid I was going to choose the wrong… read more
“DIY provides a great opportunity to build your lab repertoire, which makes you more qualified to go into a variety of research in future labs and enhances your resume!”
When I started DIY Diagnostics, I was really worried I would be the only clueless person in the room and that I would fall behind or never see progress. Thankfully, I can say that my actual experience was the exact opposite. DIY is full of mentors and peers that are… read more
“Whether you are a computer science major, a pre-med student or anything in between, you have a place in this lab.”
Dear FRI student, First off, I would like to say congratulations on your acceptance into UT and the FRI program! I know it may seem intimidating now (trust me, I was in your shoes exactly a year ago), but these four years will turn into some of the best years… read more
“For me, DIY is a place to challenge yourself in all the areas and rewards you for hard work!”
I am not a man of grace. I applied to the Freshman Research Initiative the day of the deadline on a whim after officially deciding to attend UT. I walked in on the last available orientation session and completely guessed what classes to take for the first semester. I make… read more
“I was learning useful skills, like how to accurately use a micro-pipette, and how to perform a LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification)!”
During my final year of high school, I gave into “senioritis” a little bit too much. So much, in fact, that Iforgot to start my application to UT’s Freshman Research Initiative until three hours before the deadline. Not the smartest move, especially considering how nearly a month later, choosing a… read more
“D-I-Why Not?”
When it came time for lab tours for the FRI stream program, I was looking for two things in specific that would help me decide. The first specific, was a lab that directly merged the culture of science with the laymen, and the second was a focus on making the… read more
“The memories and hardships you will face in our lab will be worth it and you won’t ever feel alone.”
Hi future researchers, I welcome you all to your first year here at the University of Texas at Austin. Our campus has various facilities that you will be able to explore, however the university is known for various research breakthroughs. I would like to congratulate everyone for being accepted into… read more
“From both a biochemical and engineering design perspective, DIY Diagnostics offers a wide variety of potential projects to choose from.”
As a freshman, I honestly had no idea which stream I wanted to join after getting into FRI. Ironically, DIY Diagnostics was the first stream I researched and ended up being my first choice. I picked the DIY Diagnostics stream because I saw it as the stream with the largest… read more
“A New Perspective on Scientific Research”
DIY Diagnostics: A New Perspective on Scientific Research Adjusting to college is tough. A new city, a new home, new classmates, and tougher classes can definitely be a shock. Attending a college like the University of Texas, where a large number of students are involved in research, it is easy… read more