My name is Seren Helms. I'm a microbiology major in the University Honors Program at Texas A&M University. I made this site from scratch- all the HTML, CSS, and graphics, aside from the Neocities logo! This homepage includes yearly personal statements and general updates. For more specific information, see the other pages in the navigation bar above.
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I have made several key advancements during my sophomore year. Firstly, I am now officially associated with a biology lab on campus as an undergraduate researcher! During the Fall 2023 semester, I enrolled in BIOL291 with Fitzpatrick Lab as a first foray into the world of research. I continued to attend lab meetings throughout the academic year to become better acquainted with the lab environment and my fellow lab members. In this upcoming year, I am registering for BIOL491 Honors with the same lab. Dr. Fitzpatrick and I have developed a research project in which I will work to better characterize the estrus swellings of baboons via photogrammetry. Estimates of width and length have already been obtained from the photographs in question, but not depth. This project aims to provide a literal new dimension of data on this trait. I intend to present my findings to fulfill my capstone requirement for both the University Honors and Biology Honors programs.
Secondly, I'm proud to have served as a counselor for Freshmen Leading in Acceptance, Kindness, and Equality (FLAKE) this past academic year, and proud to continue this upcoming year. FLAKE was a very positive force in my freshman year by providing leadership and social opportunities to myself and my fellow freshmen. My main ongoing goal and responsibility in FLAKE is to extend those opportunities and provide the same positive space to incoming freshmen, a responsibility I happily embrace.
I believe that the ultimate purpose of anyone’s life is to improve the world for both people today and future generations, in whatever ways and on whatever scale one is capable of. I also believe strongly in the power of knowledge and curiosity, and in learning & experiencing as much as the world has to offer as possible. These two core principles inform my own goal of furthering scientific knowledge of & bettering humanity’s ability to coexist with the balances and interdependencies within ecosystems via contributing to mycological research.
As with any long-term goal, however, there are many smaller goals within. One of the first and most important is to gain the knowledge, understanding, and experience necessary. To me, college is, first and foremost, an opportunity to achieve this. What I am learning at Texas A&M University will build the foundation of my entire future education and career. This is why I chose to join the University Honors Program; I understood the risk of failure, and the higher expectations and harder work involved, and saw this not only as a worthwhile exchange for a stronger foundation, but as necessary to that strength.
Now nearing the end of my first year at Texas A&M University and in the University Honors Program, my ultimate goal remains unchanged. The smaller goals composing it, however, have been refined. I now have a much fuller understanding of each step in the process of learning– both what is required of me, and what I will require from others. When I entered this program, I knew in the abstract that communication would be one of the most important skills to me during my college career. Now, however, I have a concrete understanding of just how important it is, and have learned extensively how best to communicate with professors, advisors, and peers. I am also incredibly grateful for all I have learned in my courses, and the professors and TA’s that teach them. I feel that all the knowledge I have gained, even that which doesn’t relate directly to my field of interest, is incredibly valuable, and deepens my overall understanding of both my own goals and of the world as a whole.
As much as I’ve learned academically, I’ve learned just as much about myself. During my first semester, I struggled with the workload and deadlines, and have learned the dangers of overextending myself and of overestimating my own speed & abilities. I now have a better understanding of my own limits, and of how to work within them, rather than attempting to power through them.
I haven’t only learned my limits, however; I have come to learn just how much I am capable of, as well. Comparing my first and second semesters at this university, I feel that I have grown considerably. I’ve gained the ability to accept imperfection, and to push myself to complete anything I need to, even when I am unsure of myself. I now know better what kind of schedules and rhythms work for me, and am more acclimated to living independently and to the college lifestyle. My experiences in the Honors program over the entirety of this academic year have made me confident and excited for the next three to come.
