I wanted to be involved at UT before entering college and through the school e-mails I was able to learn about FRI. At first I believed that one had to be a junior or senior in order to be involved in research, so when this opportunity came I immediately signed up for this program. This turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made since coming to UT. DIY diagnostics was actually my first choice stream and I am grateful that I am able to be a part of it. A huge reason why I chose the DIY diagnostic stream was the incorporation of computer science/technology with biology. I was also intrigued about the innovation in the stream and the ongoing work to better the health of our society.
Through DIY diagnostics, the student is able to learn science and technology through independent research opportunities. This program allows the student to do research about areas they are interested in. The program is freelance and allows the student to learn from trial and error. Personally, I consider myself more a scientist rather than just a student when I am in lab. There is no formal structure to how to perform experiments. Rather, the instructor is there to teach the student basic skill for them to use in experiments that they are interested in. Being in this environment allowed me to grow as a student, I had to be able to organize and manage my time so I can finish task at a timely manner. This was a skill that I was able to bring into my coursework. I felt less overwhelmed and was able to handle the college workload better.
One major lesson that I learned from DIY was how to program mobile apps. I had no computer science background at all but Tim made lessons that I was able to follow and learn quickly. Knowing how to code is a great skill and I feel like it puts me ahead of many students. The mobile apps helped us create simple diagnostic test. With further knowledge, I believe that we can create test that everyone can use on a daily basis. Through this course, I was able to program an app to determine if one had a cold or an allergy. I had no idea that I would enjoy coding, DIY really opened up something that I would’ve never experienced at all.
Aside from all the research that one can do as a freshman, DIY allows one to meet new people and to find friends that have similar interests. The great thing is that each stream has a small number of students which allows for a closer bond between all the students in the particular stream. Tim also stresses that we help each other out. DIY has a friendly and open environment. I recommend that every student should sign up for this stream or if this doesn’t interest you, to look for another stream that sparks your interest.