Although Jean had wanted to get her PhD since middle school, she lacked confidence and knowledge about the exact path to take.  As a freshman she looked for  a lab where she could volunteer and learn the ins and outs of research.  Dr. Maltzman at Rutgers University readily took Jean into his laboratory.  He was studying the impact of chemicals on cell growth looking to develop something that might inhibit tumor cell growth. Jean felt fortunate that Dr. Maltzman welcomed  her despite her lack of experience and that she was an undergraduate. After weeks of passing cells to maintain cultures, making media and cleaning biosafety hoods of the day’s debris, Dr. Maltzman encouraged  Jean to set up her own experiments. He tasked Jean with learning the art of making slides of mammalian cells to view with the microscope. Donning a lab coat that was a size too big and safety goggles that slid down her nose, Jean approached the lab bench.

Smith, a seasoned lab technician, guided Jean through the intricate process of slide preparation. Smith, had seen countless interns struggle with the delicate task and patiently taught Jean for the day.

The first challenge Jean faced was handling the tiny glass slides. They were so small that Jean feared she might accidentally break the slide covers.

Jean’s hands had been trembling when she fumbled the slide and she briefly engaged in impromptu juggling before the glass shattered on the soapstone bench.

Smith chuckled and assured Jean that most interns had a precarious slide-launching initiation. Nervous but determined, Jean persisted. Next up, Jean had to apply the specimen. With a dropper filled with the mammalian cells, Jean delicately placed a drop on a new slide. However, Jean got a little too enthusiastic, and the specimen resembled a miniature swimming pool rather than a scientific masterpiece.

She tried again and then it was finally, time for the cover slip. She thought it would be simple to place a thin piece of glass over the specimen. Instead, this proved to be Jean’s Mount Everest. The cover slip slid, it wiggled, and nearly escaped, After a few comical attempts, Jean triumphantly completed the task.

Smith, now thoroughly entertained, declared, “Congratulations, Jean! You’ve just given those microbes a five-star resort experience.”

However, Jean knew that she had to tell Dr. Maltzman that her slides that day took quite a bit of time to make and the data collected from them might not be accurate. Dr. Maltzman was very kind. He told Jean she would be a good researcher and that he was happy to have her in the lab so she could learn and reach her goals. Those kind words gave Jean the confidence she needed. Whenever she doubted herself, Jean would recall that day when Dr. Malzman reassured her she had what she needed to be a successful scientist.