DLS Student Ambassador
- Sharon Joseph Pulikottil
- Graduation Year: 2028
- Major: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Minor(s): Computer Science
- Hometown: Plainsboro, NJ
- Career Interest: Physician/Scientist
- Fun Fact: I enjoy reading and listening to contemporary poetry, with favorites including “Maga Hat in the Chemo Room” by Andrea Gibson and “Miles from Any Shoreline” by Sarah Kay. I’m also an avid reader whenever I can find the time. Recently, I’ve loved Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay and Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green, while my all-time favorites remain the classics Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
- What was your favorite class and why?:
One of my favorite classes has been Computational Genetics, a course specifically designed for students without prior experience in coding or computer science. The first half of the semester focused on introducing Python, while the second half centered on applying tools such as Biopython, MAFFT, FastTree, and ToyTree. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in exploring the applications of computer science in the life sciences.
- What other Rutgers activities and extracurricular activities do you participate in?:
I volunteer as a Crisis Counselor with the 988 Crisis Text Line and work with memory care residents at my local senior living center. At Rutgers, I was a member of RU Natya, a competitive Indian classical dance team, where I had the opportunity to travel across the U.S. for competitions and create lasting memories with an incredible group of teammates. I am also an undergraduate researcher in the Grant Lab, studying C. elegans and focusing on an extracellular vesicle called an exopher, which is involved in clearing “trash” from neurons. Most recently, I participated in the Aresty Summer Science Program.