Olivia Yerovi 26Ox

At Oxford, Olivia is currently a Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology major on the pre-medicine track, though she is still debating whether she wants to pursue a major in chemistry. Working in this lab, however, has allowed Olivia to “work with groundbreaking research upfront” and see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into research. 

Regarding technical skills, Olivia learned crucial lab etiquette and techniques at Oxford that she uses in her work, including the use of gels from her Bio 141 and 142 labs. Due to Oxford’s advanced chemistry curriculum, Olivia also has a strong foundation with chemistry, making the concept behind the project easier to comprehend. Regarding soft skills, Oxford taught Olivia about teamwork and leadership. 

“Recently, a lot of high schoolers have joined the lab, and I have been the main point person to teach them about our project and answer any questions about the lab’s work and foundational concepts regarding the self-assembly of DNA nanocrystals via tensegrity triangles. I am able to help them understand and even include them in the research process. I also like to share my experience from college with some of the rising seniors to give them advice on what is to come.” 

Her favorite moment thus far was when she had to make new motifs for DNA crystals. 

“We had to look through all newly ordered synthetic single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and check the labeling for the nucleotide sequence and ensure we chose the right ones. It was my favorite moment because everyone in the lab came together to find the right strands and make a system for cross-referencing the strands needed for the motif and the labeling on the ordered ssDNA,” she recalls.