Taking a lab break with Erica- how she mentors MU minority student researchers

Erica Braham is junior health sciences major with minors in wellness and sociology. She's from El Paso, Texas and has a hard time not smiling. (No...seriously....just scroll down.)

A big part of her experience at MU has come from working in MU Residential Life but also doing undergraduate research in the IMSD-EXPRESS Program. She says that being in a research lab for 8-12 hours a week really makes her look at the world with more detail.

Her favorite parts about IMSD-EXPRESS have been the interaction with younger students and middle schoolers interested in going into the sciences.

"Not only am I a peer mentor, but I do outreach at middle schools as well. Helping minority freshmen navigate their lives in a completely new and exciting environment has been extremely rewarding in that I get to learn from them every day."

"I would say the same about middle school outreach. Teaching young women and men that they can do what they put their minds to encourages me. Seeing that spark of curiosity in young kids is honestly one of the best feelings in the world. I love being able to inspire others to strive to achieve amazing things."

(Erica also has really great conversations with plants....)