NCCC Success Story

Hometown
West Newfield, Maine

Degree programs
A.A.S., Laboratory Science Technology

Year of graduation
2017

Place of employment
Merck High-Throughput Screening Facility, North Wales, Pennsylvania

Job Title
Lab Technician

Work Responsibilities
I assisted in the programming, setup and operation of a very sophisticated high-throughput screening system manufactured by GNF (Genomics Novartis Foundation). I loaded the reagents in the system and checked if the dispensed volume was correct before starting the experiment. I also made sure that the programs were running as designed. For another project, I wrote a computer program using LabVIEW to help analyze and present the robotic system’s processing data. This program allows the user to be able to validate if the automated experiments performed ran as designed. It also helps the users to determine the rate of the entire process.

How my career relates to my degree from RIT/NTID
Lab experiences in my lab science technology (LST) major helped me at my co-op because I already had experience using reagent bottles and handling cell cultures and media. In addition, all of the safety procedures and practices I had learned in the LST lab were part of my daily work at Merck. I plan to continue my education and earn a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. The LST program and all of the courses and instrumentation skills are a good foundation that will help me prepare for my other classes in RIT’s College of Science.

Advice
Know how to prioritize your time and activities. Get involved and build relationships with your professors. Also take advantage of your professors' office hours and set up study groups with your classmates.