The RMI Spotlight series features our current and former students involved with the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute’s Research Mentoring Internship (RMI) Program, where students gain real-world work experience as researchers in a supportive laboratory environment! This week, we are catching up with former RMI student Maelia Uy-Gomez as she discusses how RMI has impacted their research interests. (Photo of Maelia Uy-Gomez)
Interview by Krizia Chambers
Can you briefly describe your experience with RMI? And what did you gain from participating in the program?
RMI was an incredible experience! It exposed me to options I never considered and pushed me to explore what I wanted to pursue as a career. It equipped me with the tools I needed (presentation skills, networking, technical development) to be successful in the time following graduation.
What was your favorite memory in your RMI cohort?
SACNAS 2014 in San Antonio! It was so much fun to travel with the cohort to a new city & meet new people in the field at such a large conference. The free time after the conference also provided our cohort with a chance to bond & learn more about one another outside of the context of academics, which was an extremely special privilege.
What do you wish you knew about the program before starting?
Honestly, I wish I knew just how helpful a program like RMI could be, and while I took advantage of a lot of the events RMI put together, I wish I had done more! It’s not until you learn about the experiences other university alumni had, that you learn just how unique and helpful a program like RMI was.
What are you doing now? How did what you learned in RMI help you get where you are?
Currently, I am a Senior Research Associate at Abzena, a pharmaceutical contract manufacturing organization (CMO). RMI gave me the exposure to networking & discussing my work in a more casual setting, which has really helped me grow in my career the way I had. The mentorship aspect also helped mold me into the manager I am today, someone who cares greatly about the development of my team.
What advice would you give to current RMI students?
There are so many more options out there than you probably realize. So many facets of STEM and so many niche career options are almost overwhelming. Still, it also means that you really do have the opportunity to pursue a career in something you truly enjoy! Don’t worry too much about the world outside of UCSC just yet – take it one day at a time & figure out what spheres of science speak to you!