Christian Guerrero – December 2013 Scholar of the Month
2013 CHCI-Ford Blue Oval Scholar
Hometown: Nampa, ID
Degree: B.S., Chemistry
School: Boise State University
I accepted the academic challenge of being the first in my family to attend college for many reasons. The first reason is my parents. It is because of their hard work that my family lives well in the U.S. and the primary reason I am able to pursue a quality education. Despite my parents’ efforts, my two older brothers became high school dropouts and I knew I did not want to follow that same path. In addition, I must serve as a good role model for my two younger sisters, who I love very much. The second reason is my personal desire to be a success, which is why I am furthering my education here at Boise State University.
In order to become a success I created a set of realistic career goals. My first goal involves my interest in chemical research to find solutions to problems that we face in modern society. To date, I have been involved in three research laboratories investigating diverse research projects. In the first lab at BSU, I studied molecular methods to determine parasite infections in hawks. In the second lab at BSU, I worked on the development of antibiotics to treat Lyme disease. In the third lab at PNNL, I studied activity-based protein profiling for the purposes of improving protein labeling. In each research lab, I presented poster and symposium presentations at local, regional, and national conferences. I have faith that if I continue to gain more experience in my field and refine my research skills then I can become a better student and be better prepared to pursue a graduate degree.
At this time my main interest as a biochemistry major is in proteins and I intend to take that interest to graduate school. My mentors have all encouraged me to apply to one of the top 15 graduate programs in biochemistry—as days pass I feel more and more confident that I can achieve this goal.
As a first generation student studying chemistry, I have done everything that I can do and think my efforts have paid off. Overall, I will continue to work hard in order to honor the loving family that supports me as I continue to live up to the American Dream here at BSU.