“Mentorship forms the backbone of research, ensuring that our work continues and expands beyond us. The Petit Mentorship program gives me an opportunity to become a more effective mentor and to impact the next generation of biomedical researchers. The Petit Scholars Program has enabled me to extend my engineering work to better address the underlying science of brain diseases by working collaboratively with my Petit Scholar. Beyond the research, working with my Petit Scholar and with the Petit Program has been very enjoyable and the experiences have reminded me about why I have a passion for research.” — Vineet Tiruvadi

“Being a Petit Scholar has been one of the most rewarding experiences so far in my college career. When I first joined my lab I was scared of doing anything wrong and after my summer with Petit I have confidence in myself that I can develop experiments and I know for a fact that my PI believes in me as well. I’ve been lucky enough to be given my own project to handle now and I get the experience of training new members of the lab in techniques that I’m adept in. After the first semester as a Petit Scholar I applied to present at the annual BMES Conference and I was chosen to give a talk there this year. However, the best part of the experience has to be that I have developed a relationship with my PI. Being a pre-med student, it’s imperative for me to gain shadowing experience before I apply to medical schools. This summer my PI helped me reach out to a doctor in the Sibley Heart Center in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and after shadowing there I know for a fact that I want to pursue an MD Ph.D. Overall, deciding to apply to be a Petit Scholar has been one of the best decisions I’ve made so far, and the amazing food at all of the socials is an added bonus!” — Shohini Ghosh- Choudhary

“The Petit Research Scholars program provided me the opportunity and framework to really get deeply involved and develop my own research. I have since presented my work at both national and international conferences, and the program has helped motivate me towards a future as a medical scientist.” — Frederick Damen

“More than just an avenue by which to be a part of cutting-edge bioengineering research, the Petit Scholars program was an invaluable learning experience. The skills I gained during my time as a scholar have already proven to be a stepping stone for my career by helping me secure an exciting internship in research and development where I frequently draw on what I learned.” — Marc Powell

“The Petit Research Program has been an opportunity come true. I have gained valuable skills and relationships through mentors, my lab, and staff. In addition, the program seeks success from all its scholars. This has been life-changing and an unforgettable experience.” — Alexandria Harrison

“Being part of the Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars Program has been instrumental in developing my great interest in research. The amazing opportunities it has afforded me has allowed me to take full advantage of the undergraduate research experience and prompted me to continue along a research path in the future.” — Anirudh Sundararaghavan

“The Petit Scholars program helped launch my scientific career and has propelled me to heights I never fathomed possible for myself in the field of biomedical research. During my time as a Petit Scholar, not only was I able to find my niche in the laboratory setting, but I was also fortunate enough to present my work at multiple national conferences. Being part of this special program has molded my career path - no doubt about it.” — Abhinav Sharma

“As a Petit Scholar, I was given the opportunity to experience the freedom and responsibility of independent research. Although I worked very closely with my graduate mentor and professor, I was able to take my research in a direction I found interesting. The Petit Scholars program has played a major role in my decision to further my research carrier and attend graduate school. The venture to work on an independent project as an undergraduate gives students a competitive advantage over applicants without this experience.” — Taylor Kavanaugh

“The Petit Scholars program provided me with the opportunity to focus further into my research concentration while continually expanding my interest in the field. Not only has it engaged me to new levels outside of the classroom, but it has also opened numerous doors to developing a career in the area of biotechnology.” — Jacob Johnson

“When I arrived at Tech I was originally planning on working or co-oping at Tech to help pay for the expenditures that go along with college, but once I got involved in research I was addicted.  Thanks to programs like Petit Scholars, I have been able to continue the research I love.  I am currently starting to compose my second first-author paper, and my data has also been presented at over ten national and international conferences.” — Daniel McGrail

“The Petit Scholars program has been fantastic! With my time in the program, I have been able to plan a fully independent and free-standing research study, fund it, and work towards my own goals with the support of the full lab group.” — Joel Dolensky

“The Petit Undergraduate Scholars program has given me an invaluable opportunity to participate in research that will undoubtedly help me peruse my dreams of becoming a dentist.” — Megan Bloomquist

“The Petit Scholars program is training me to develop my capabilities as an independent undergraduate researcher in Professor Hud's laboratory. With help from Petit Scholars, I will be able to both present my research on the chemical origins of life at professional conferences and publish my research in refereed journals to get the most out of my undergraduate research experience.” — Michael Chen

“I was very privileged to have been accepted into the URS program for the 2002 year.  I was placed into Professor Ajit Yoganathan's research group. With my graduate student mentor Hwa-Liang Leo, we studied flow fields surrounding artificial heart valves using noninvasive velocimetry techniques.  Even now, I still think back about what a great opportunity it was to be able to work alongside top-tiered researchers at a world-class research institution -- as an undergraduate.  It was a great learning experience. I really valued that I was given a self-contained project, and not just merely a lab helper.   I was able to learn very much about the problem-solving, communication, and project planning skills (and most of all perseverance!) required to complete a project.   I have always considered going to graduate school. This opportunity allowed me to get a glimpse into the research life and helped my decision to pursue graduate school.  I believe that the skills I gained are applicable in both academic and professional realms.” — Saul Lee 

“My participation in the Petit Scholars Program allowed me to do research that I enjoyed, and also allowed me to form lasting relationships with my mentors.  I will be a BME Ph.D. candidate and NSF Graduate Research Fellow at GT in the Fall, and much thanks are owed to the Petit Scholars Program for getting me started on this path.” — Shereka Banton 

The Petit URS Program opened endless doorways for me. I was able to start and design my own research project and continue working individually afterward. I've had the opportunity to speak at conferences, present research to the Department of Defense and Children's Hospital of Atlanta, and recently, my research experience through Petit URS allowed me to obtain an internship in tissue engineering through the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon. I can't speak highly enough of the program and the countless benefits it has made available to me. — Olivia Burnsed

“Words cannot describe how valuable the experience I gained in the Petit program was; from completing your own project to presenting a poster, I learned so much and I am so thankful for my experience.” — Glenn Travis Wagner

”The Petit Scholars program has given me the opportunity to spend more time on research and less time working; it has also introduced me to many other motivated researchers, and I look forward to collaborating with them on future projects!” — Hasan Khosravi 

“Undergraduate research has allowed me the rare chance to delve into topics that we skim over in the impersonal arena of a cavernous lecture hall. It is a pass into a locked doorway. In the figurative sense, I encountered for the first time these noisy hoods and pipettes that I must not drop. And literally, gaining Buzzcard access to wing 1D is a small badge of honor in itself. The Petit Scholars program not only encompassed these aspects but exceeded the typical undergraduate research experience. By encouraging mentors to provide students with an independent project, I have been able to undertake the responsibility of moving an idea from paper to the rewarding (and sometimes frustrating) reality of the benchside. Not only have I been able to experience the entire research process from brainstorming to experimentation, troubleshooting, and poster presenting, but a rare camaraderie has also been established. From brainstorming sessions with my professor to chatting about must-see sights in Paris, I have been warmly welcomed into this lab community. That is the most unexpected and most rewarding aspect of my undergraduate research.” — Willa Ni

“I, like many college students, went through a crisis where I was completely unsure what I wanted to pursue after graduation.  Originally a pre-med student studying biochemistry and German, I decided no matter what I did, research experience would be valuable.  Indeed, the Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at Georgia Tech added something invaluable to my undergraduate education.  The collaborative and intensive research environment, the challenges I worked through in conducting and communicating about my own projects, and the intelligent and enthusiastic colleagues that not only supported and taught me but also became my friends, all contributed to my growth as an individual and a scientist.  I worked in the lab in which I completed this 1-year fellowship for 2 full years.  It was this experience that solidified my decision to go to graduate school.  I am now a second-year graduate student in the Molecular and Systems Pharmacology Program at Emory University, one of the best institutions in the world for pharmacology.  College courses do not teach you how to think like a scientist, collaborate with others in a research environment, or write about, analyze and discuss primary research.  The Petit Scholars Program starts building those skills, and personally, it did much to engage my enthusiasm and complete a foundation from which to tackle the new challenges of graduate school.  Graduate school is demanding, but I am also inspired by and very happy with my graduate program and the lab I joined for my thesis work.  I am excited to see where this takes me, and thankful to the Petit Scholars Program for the experience it granted me.” — Taran Lundgren