BCERC Conference 2009

By Aliyah Cohen

Upon acceptance into the BCERC conference I felt an exhilarating sense of accomplishment. I was beyond astonished that the work that I had conducted on Mammary Gland Carcinogens and Endocrine Disrupters was worthy of such high applaud. But then, my ego deflated abruptly as I realized what was ahead. Presenting to a group of highly venerated researchers and activists was something I had anticipated and hoped for, but now that it was no longer a dream, but a reality, I became hesitant.

When the students and scientists congregated in the airport, all very antsy to embark on our journey, I finally felt that this was going to be something that would change my life. It occurred to me that this isn’t something every student gets the opportunity to do. This was not only a learning experience academically, but one experientially. It was a small peek at what it would be like to hold this role in research as a profession. Flying out to various destinations and functions to present valid and thought provoking research is something expected in the everyday life of a researcher, and now I could take a walk in a researcher’s shoes and see what that is like. It was absolutely spectacular! Being able to share my new found knowledge was so refreshing when compared to keeping the results to only myself and my partner to save for analysis. The scientists and outreach specialists were not only welcoming, but inspiring and helpful. They welcomed all of the students with open arms and expressed great enthusiasm in the idea of us just being at the conference. We received helpful feedback and they offered different possible approaches regarding our topic of research. I grew through this program from a relatively naïve scientist to a determined one; blossoming into a well rounded researcher. I had the tools and the training necessary to carry myself successfully and elegantly through a research and outreach conference. I realized that no matter how much training a person endures, there is always more to learn.

Not only was I enlightened by the people, but also by the surroundings. Even though I have been to California a good number of times before, my eyes were still amazed by the beauty the land provides. I went on a hike with my peers and explored the facility that we were so lucky to be staying in. It overlooked the gorgeous bay of San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge right on our porch and the unique contour of the island of Alcatraz on our horizon. After the conference we explored the nearby town and moved on to sightseeing in the beautiful city of San Francisco. We learned from the natives about the local hotspots and also about the history of the city. I became closer each day to my peers as well as my adult colleagues. I made connections that will hopefully last a lifetime. Most importantly, I built a memory that will provide me with inspiration for the future.