Hear from Kieran:

From an early age, I was interested in the life sciences. In high school in Ewing, NJ, I read books about infectious diseases in my spare time. When I started my first year at Wellesley, I immediately gravitated towards the Biology major; it seemed the best way to pursue a career in medicine, which at the time I saw as my path. Luckily, the Biology major at Wellesley is very broad in scope, and I was exposed to elements of ecology, genetics, and molecular biology during my first two years of college. This comprehensive approach opened my eyes to different career options, and new avenues of study. In addition, the laboratory component of the classes allowed me to see a side of science that exists outside of the classroom. I felt at home in the lab, and the idea of researching a specific scientific problem intrigued me. By my junior year, I was considering pursuing a PhD. However, I was still not sure if I was ready to devote my life to the laboratory, nor did I know what I would study. I chose to do a senior thesis, and that, more than anything else, helped me to be sure that I wanted to be a scientist. I found the long hours in the lab challenging, but also immensely rewarding. My thesis advisor, Jennifer Hood-DeGrenier, was a great asset during the graduate school application process; she helped me to determine which programs would be a good fit for me. After intense online research, I applied to several graduate programs with an emphasis on microbiology; my lifelong passion for infectious diseases led the way. I chose Tufts University's Molecular Microbiology program based in part on its small size and collegial atmosphere: it reminded me of Wellesley.