Becoming a Scientist

Graduating senior Abigail Rohy came to Carolina to become a scientist, and her years in the classroom and work in the Mohlke Lab as an undergraduate researcher have prepared her to do just that.

“I knew even in middle school that I was interested in science and wondered what I could do with the subject as an adult,” Rohy said. “When looking at colleges, I applied to schools where I would be able to do research, which is how I found Carolina and the Chancellor’s Science Scholars program.”

Rohy enrolled at Carolina as a Chancellor’s Science Scholar, a program that encourages students underrepresented in the sciences to explore their STEM interests while engaging them in a community of collaboration. The program offers scholarships, opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research, professional development, leadership training and mentorship.

Working in Karen Mohlke’s lab — where they study human genetics of cardiometabolic traits and diseases — gave Rohy hands-on research experience and mentorship that she will apply to a future career in research.

After graduation, Rohy will move to Texas to start a biochemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Texas at Austin and begin to conduct her own independent research.

“Overall, I want to conduct my own research and ask my own independent questions, whether that be staying within academia or working as part of something larger in industry,” said Rohy.

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