Christian is pursuing a dual degree in the Medical Science Training Program that will prepare him to be a caregiver and a physician-investigator in a cell and molecular biology group, with an emphasis on genetic engineering. "I never thought I wanted to be a doctor, but as I became more deeply involved in research, I realized that the science I was interested in learning was intended to someday help people."
A four-year recipient of the Hearst Foundation Scholarship, Christian has had research opportunities that ranged from a study of rat vocalizations in the Summer Science Scholars Program after freshman year to a senior honors project in neuroimmunology. "The emphasis on writing taught me how to represent my results well, and the curriculum—more than just facts-based—taught me to think creatively in different fields of research."
Participation in the Integrated Program in Humane Studies provided interdisciplinary exposure to literature, philosophy, art history, and religion that culminated in a semester-long senior project about the ethics of human genetic engineering. "I knew I wanted to study science, but I wanted to go to a college where I could learn about everything."