Kennedy Nangle

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• Principles of Genetics: This course explored a wide range of topics while learning about the basic principles of genetics. This course offered a two-month long independent lab project, exploring Mendelian genetics and bio-statistical methods through the breeding of fruit flies over the course of this two-month timeline. This project helped foster many skills, such as: 

  • Time ​management and group co-operation: This project was successfully completed in a group of three students, which required logistics management between three busy schedules and co-operation from each student to accommodate one another. Completing a project over this extended amount of time also required proper time management individually and between group members, in order to be completed accurately and have every component delivered in a timely manner.

  • Organization skills: This project also encouraged a high level of organization and planning to be properly completed. Our team had to research and develop our own calendar, the proper timing, and have excellent knowledge of our specimen. Developing our own unique structure to the project therefore required advanced organization skills.

  • Academic Independence: This project imitated a real research project as independence in process and method were necessary. Having to design an experimental plan based on research about a species with minimal instruction from the laboratory personnel forged a feeling of responsibility, integrity, and independence in the studies pursued throughout the project by encouraging individual exploration and understanding of the topics at hand.

​The investigation of genetics through different online resources and wet labs was also completed throughout this course. This fostered many different skills, like attention to detail, various computer skills, following instruction, and proper application of knowledge to real-life examples. 

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• Statistical Methods: In this third year biological statistics course, we explored statistical methods in the context of biological and health-related topics. This course explored the large array of statistical models used in biological research to analyze research findings and investigate different aspects of research data. Different statistical computer programs including R and SPSS were used in laboratory. This biological statistics course encouraged skills like critical thinking and scientific inquiry.

  • Critical Thinking: ​This biological statistics course facilitated the further development of critical thinking skills through independent investigation of data in the form of scientific results from a large array of sources and contexts. Analyzing and interpreting data in certain lenses based on the tests and what the results showed encouraged critical thinking of the situation, what exactly the results of the test demonstrate, and how to properly analyze the data for the given situation. 

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• Organic Chemistry: Taking a full year course in organic chemistry helped understand the basics of the organic world and applying them in the lab every week. This long-term learning aided in developing long-term objective setting, persistence, and hard work. Throughout the year I studied the properties of a wide variety of organic molecules and the reactions they typically undergo. This course also provided students with the basic skills required for chemistry laboratory manipulation based on the techniques best suited for specific reactions.