91制片厂

Becky Baker has always envisioned a career in a laboratory. Through hands-on training in听campus labs and internships at Manchester Water Works and Elliot Hospital, the graduating senior is ready for her dream to materialize. On May 19, Baker became the first graduate of 91制片厂 Manchester鈥檚听, which launched in fall 2015. Soon she'll start a full-time job as a laboratory scientist trainee in the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services virology/special testing laboratory in Concord.

An alumna of Nashua High School, Baker came to 91制片厂听with the intention of studying chemistry. She liked the proximity and community of the Manchester campus, but knew the program she wanted was in Durham.

鈥淚 chose Manchester because of the smaller community, and because I had been out of school for seven years,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淏ut I actually transferred to Durham because I thought chemistry was where I wanted to go.鈥�

Baker quickly discovered that she did not have "chemistry" with the major. She didn鈥檛 enjoy the subject as much as she expected to听and didn鈥檛 feel as if听she could thrive academically without the passion. So she switched gears: In 2013, Baker returned听to Manchester to study biology, a path that would still allow听her to work in a lab.

While she enjoyed the lab elements of the听听major, Baker didn鈥檛 see herself working in healthcare, a focus of the program. When the new major in biotechnology was announced, she was thrilled.

鈥淎 lot of biology is healthcare-related, which isn鈥檛 where I saw myself going,鈥� Baker says. "Luckily for me, Dr. MacLea came and started biotechnology, and it was kind of meant to be.鈥�

听

鈥淪tudents learn cell culture, techniques for studying nucleic acids and proteins, genomics and more 鈥� everything that鈥檚 in common use in real-world labs.鈥�

, assistant professor of biological sciences, says听the biotechnology program was designed to give students like Baker the skills they need for careers in the lab.

鈥淪tudents learn cell culture, techniques for studying nucleic acids and proteins, genomics and more 鈥� everything that鈥檚 in common use in real-world labs,鈥� MacLea says.

Baker says听these skills helped her through听internships at Manchester Water Works and Elliot Hospital, which she completed at the end of April. At Manchester Water Works, Baker ran chemical and microbial tests on samples from around the city. She says听the hands-on work was extremely beneficial.

鈥淚 have also had hands-on experience with the autoclave and making growth media for their bacterial testing,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淚t has expanded my knowledge of lab techniques greatly.鈥�

At the Elliot, Baker completed an extensive job shadow at听the Manchester and Londonderry labs. She learned the instruments used and tests run in each section of the medical lab, including histology, microbiology, urinalysis, blood bank and more.

鈥淚 think they enjoy teaching me as much as I enjoy learning,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great experience to see what parts of the lab I would like, and which parts I wouldn鈥檛 enjoy as much.鈥�

Baker says听the experiences she鈥檚 had through the biotechnology program and her internships have been invaluable. Her advice to other students is simple: Use your campus resources, and seize real-world opportunities.

鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to ask questions, because the professors want to help you succeed,鈥� Baker says. 鈥淵ou never know what you will be doing when you go out in the real world, so try and learn everything you can.鈥澨�

听

听听>>

听