Kehinde Adeaga, COL ’26, Trenton, NJ
This summer has been an informative one career wise. As a rising senior, I have come to a point in time where I need to seriously think about what to do next. At the beginning of my summer, I had a vague direction; my thoughts were completely split. Should Igo to grad school for a PhD, or apply for jobs in industry instead? As my summer research experience came to an end, I have finally come to a decision I feel is best for me: getting my PhD.
How did my journey lead me here? I was conducting research in the Geffen Lab in the Perelman School of Medicine. I was continuing the project I had been working on with my mentor during the academic year, running analysis on the data she collected. I had learned so much about different computational and statistical methods to analyse and determine significance. I delved more into unsupervised machine learning with clustering algorithms. I built generalized linear models and ran other statistical tests whether they be more simple like paired t-test, or more complex like principal component analysis. I learned new ways to visualize and interpret data, like creating heat maps to see cell responses to stimuli over time and making 3D trajectory plots. My research experience this summer confirmed my interest in programming for data science, and I want to continue learning. My current computational background is limited to my research topic areas, with no formal education, and I know I want to study it and apply what I learn to other research areas. I have particular interest in using my growing skills to work on something I believe is meaningful, and can help others. What better way to continue learning on a deeper, more focused level while also working on something important than a PhD. I feel it is the more beneficial path for me currently than trying to enter the workforce so I can hone my skills and gain more.
What is next for me? I will be applying for PhD programs in Computational Neuroscience and Computational Biology. This summer I was also a part of the Life Science Cares On-ramp Program, a program that connects first-generation, low-income students with companies and professionals in industry in the life sciences. It was an invaluable experience where I learned the importance of networking, and how building connections with others can take one further in their career. Also how it’s helpful to understand the industry, and the value of internships to get experience working in a business. In addition to graduate school applications, I will be applying for internships, particularly analysts and data science positions, to be able to obtain business-side experience. I know this will be important for learning how to work in an environment that is not strictly academic, just as I want to do in the future.
This summer, I have learned a lot about myself and how I want to lead my life—at least in the upcoming future. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future has in store.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2025 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
