Hi, I’m Shane Tripp.

Currently, I am a recent graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a Baccalaureate degree in Biology with a focus in Neuroscience. I also earned a certificate of Science Research Distinction and minors in Anthropology, Neuroscience, and Psychological Science. This fall, I will matriculate at the Drexel University College of Medicine as a first-year medical student.

Throughout my education, I have had many opportunities to explore what is possible in the fields of biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular ecology. I became involved in the Bevilacqua Research Group, where I studied the interactions between the eight nucleic acid molecules of the Influenza A virus. After that project cooncluded, I joined the Symbiosis Ecology and Evolution Laboratory at Penn State under Dr. Todd LaJeunesse. Through this opportunity, I studied the symbiotic relationship between the coral hosts and algal symbionts of Palau. Specifically, I attempted to understand how trace metal content in the algal symbionts lends itself to coral reef zonation and heat tolerance. Apart from those laboratory experiences, I have also taken a hands-on, inquiry-based microbiology laboratory, in which students had to devise their own experiments and hypotheses, and an intense organic chemistry laboratory.

I have also been involved with many organizations on campus, including the Foundation for the International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC). Through this organization, I had the opportunity to take part in public health and clinical programs in the town of Anconcito, Ecuador. Along with some other Penn State students, I was able to participate in several public health campaigns in the town, including a government-funded Influenza vaccine drive, a youth health carnival, and a mobile clinic in the rural town of Ayangue.