Graduate by Schmid GateWhat’s one unexpected opportunity or experience you’ve had at Chapman that you never imagined before enrolling? 

Coming from an Applied Human Physiology background, my focus was always set in biology and the workings of the human body. I never imagined that during junior year when I decided to declare a Design and Fabrication themed inquiry, that I would be learning how to wire circuit boards to create a functional heart rate monitor or using the DCI Lab at Chapman to 3D print a functional stethoscope. Stepping onto Chapman’s campus four years ago, I would have never believed that I would be speaking with an engineer at Masimo – a global medical technology company – minutes after winning the Chapman Make-a-Thon about developing my 3D printed stethoscope as a viable medical technology. Being able to blend my passion for healthcare with innovation has allowed me the opportunity to explore the importance not only of the compassion required in healthcare but the accessibility technology brings to underserved communities.  

Can you share a moment when a professor, advisor, or classmate made a big difference in your college journey? 

Taking a chance, I asked my professor to join her research lab after my first-ever biology final, a gamble I will never regret, as I have worked as a NEST Lab research assistant under Dr. Patricia Lopes for four years. Dr. Lopes has been an unbelievable mentor, going above and beyond to push me out of my comfort zone. From the moment I stepped foot in her lab, my place was not at the sink washing glassware but in front of a cryostat machine taking razor-thin slices of brains to stain for neural proteins or spinning down hundreds of samples for genetic analysis. Dr. Lopes never placed a barrier on research. With her guidance, I soon found myself spending countless hours staring into the blue light of my computer as I taught myself to write code for biostatistics as part of my 2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). Analyzing dataset after dataset, I eventually completed my first research project, which examined the effects of acute social isolation on neural gene expression in the social decision-making network in birds. From this project, I have attended several conferences, including the 2024 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Conference in Seattle, WA, for which I received an SGA & Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences travel grant. With Dr. Lopes’s continued support, encouragement, and drive, I not only find myself leaving Chapman with a passion for research but with two co-authored publications and a third manuscript in review. 

What’s your favorite hidden gem on campus or around town that new students have to check out? 

Like many college students, coffee is a staple in my diet, and my perfect quick fix is Play Coffee. Nestled in an old bank on the corner of the Circle, Play offers the perfect study nook with bar stools lining the window facing the old fountain and roundabout. You can always find students, locals, and friendly dogs to chat with. It’s the perfect place to grab a creamy iced latte, a sticky cardamom bun, people-watch, and study.  

Madeline in the lab

If you could describe your experience at Chapman in one word, what would it be – and why?

If there is one word to describe my Chapman experience, it would be limitless. From the students to the faculty and professors, Chapman offers endless opportunities. Not only have I been able to combine my passion for biology and technology through my Applied Physiology major and engineering-themed inquiry in Design and Fabrication, but I have personalized my education by exploring classes in microbiology and the science of obesity. I have even participated in travel courses, visiting Portugal with Dr. Anuradha Prakash and Dr. Patricia Lopes as part of FSN 309: Topics in Food, Diet, and Culture, where I studied the connection between coffee culture and the development of the third place. Beyond the classroom, as the Executive Board Director of Student Scholar Ambassadors for the CUE, I have inspired peers to pursue undergraduate research and creative scholarly activities and have mentored peers in BIOL 208: Introduction to Molecular Genetics and BCHM 335: Biochemistry I, encouraging creative problem-solving to provide students confidence in their academic pursuits.  Madeleine with Friends

What are your future plans? 

Continuing to foster my passion for empowering others, I aim to bridge the gap between complex medical concepts and patient understanding to aid individuals facing reproductive barriers on their journey to parenthood. In hopes of expanding accessible reproductive healthcare, I am excited to continue my academic journey as I pursue an MSc in Clinical Embryology at Oxford University in the fall.