Last spring, I graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in Biology and a double minor in Chemistry and History. Perhaps equally as significant, I completed an independent research project focused on emerging and expanding tick-borne pathogens in Vermont. This project prepared me for the demanding nature of scientific research. It also showed me how rewarding it can be to complete a long-term study. My research advisor and I are currently finalizing a manuscript that we will submit for publication in some of the top journals in the field of disease ecology. Following graduation, I have continued to follow my passion for scientific research through a position as a lab manager at Boston University's Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM). At the CReM, I work in the Murphy Laboratory studying healthy aging and resiliency. We approach this by examining the genetic signatures of Centenarians, individuals who live past 100 years old. In this new role, I am learning laboratory techniques that differ significantly from the skills I acquired during my undergraduate research. The combination of these diverse research experiences will undoubtedly make me a stronger scientist in the future. In the fall of 2024, I will apply to PhD programs in biological science at schools around the country. In a PhD program, I hope to spearhead scientific research that can provide novel insights into combating human disease. The yearly MVYouth update provides an opportunity for me to reflect on my initial inspirations for pursuing a career in science. During my junior year of high school, I was involved in a project aimed at combating Lyme disease on Martha’s Vineyard, sparking my passion for research. During my interviews for the MVYouth scholarship, I distinctly remember the interviewers encouraging me to follow this passion. Your belief in me continues to inspire me to this day. Thank you.
Sam Cranston - University of Vermont
Throughout my four years at UVM, I have never wavered in my decision to study biology and pursue a career dedicated to scientific inquiry. In the past year, my passion for science has deepened, my skills as a scientist have grown significantly and I have developed strong aspirations for the future.
In my senior year, I knew I wanted a challenge that would put my scientific skills to the test. This meant spearheading my own scientific study. When I began formulating ideas for a project in the Spring of 2021, I decided to return to the subject that had originally sparked my passion for science: tick borne disease. Similar to Martha’s Vineyard, Vermont’s deer tick populations have grown rapidly in recent years due to global warming. Equally concerning, deer ticks carry not only Lyme disease, but a host of other debilitating pathogens including Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Relapsing Fever. I have been studying the rates at which these pathogens are carried as coinfections, as well as how land use changes in the region are affecting the spread of tick borne disease. From my project proposal, I was selected as one of two recipients of the UVM Biology Department’s KAY Award for Summer Research to fully fund my study. I spent the summer collecting ticks at various sites throughout Vermont. In the fall, I spent countless hours in the lab testing these ticks for disease. I expect to submit the results of my study for review in a scientific journal prior to graduation.
Outside of the lab, I have remained a member of the UVM Club Baseball team. As a starting outfielder this year, I helped my team achieve a 17-0 record and win the New England Club Baseball championship. The past four years at UVM have been the experience of a lifetime. I have been committed to making the most out of having the privilege to attend college. None of this would have been possible without the support of MVYouth. I will always be thankful for your belief in me and I hope to someday give back to future students like myself.
Sam Cranston - University of Vermont
This past year has been an eventful one for me as we transition back to somewhat normal life. As a junior, I moved off campus into a large house with 8 other roommates! There definitely was an adjustment period, but I will say that my cooking skills have improved dramatically. While I sometimes miss the simplicity of dorm life, it is nice to be truly independent and I have embraced the responsibility of living on my own.
Academically, I decided to use this fall semester to focus on fulfilling my requirements for UVM’s college of arts and sciences. This meant I would be taking courses outside of the typical biology and chemistry classes I have grown accustomed to. I figured this would be a good way to transition from COVID college back to normal school. My high grades in psychology, philosophy of science and field zoology prove that I made the right decision.
With a less demanding course load, I was able to secure a research position studying avian malaria recently discovered in New England's common loon populations. In 2016, a loon was found dead from an apparent malaria infection. This was the first documented case of avian malaria in loons. Numerous other bird species have experienced significant population declines due to avian malaria, making this discovery very concerning. My lab instructor, Ellen Martinson, has been researching the spread of avian malaria using blood samples from loons across the northern United States. I focused on the mosquito species that transmit the disease, determining what malaria parasite lineages were present in New England’s mosquitoes through PCR and gel electrophoresis. In the process, I discovered a lineage of avian malaria parasites that had yet to be seen in New England mosquitoes. I also took part in a loon necropsy, where my lab members and I performed post-mortem inspections on multiple loon specimens to determine how they died. In the loon I necropsied, we observed significant swelling in the heart and liver. This led us to the conclusion that the juvenile loon had in fact died from a malaria infection.
Sam Cranston - University of Vermont
In early March of 2020, I headed off to Florida for a baseball tournament with the UVM Club Baseball team. My teammates and I laughed as we saw people wearing masks on the flight down, completely unaware of the pandemic that was about to engulf the world. About half way through the trip, we got the news that UVM would be closing indefinitely. Upon returning to Vermont, I packed up my dorm and headed home, leaving behind my new friends and an unforgettable freshman year. COVID-19 turned my world on its heels, squandering everything that had made college life so special. Yet throughout it all, I tried to make the most of the situation I was faced with. I raised my GPA significantly in both “COVID” semesters so far, including returning to campus this past fall, despite 95% of my classes taking place online. In the few in-person classes and labs I did have, I made the most of them by asking questions and staying after to work on chemistry problems with my professor. During the week, I was able to continue practicing with the baseball team, with intra-squad scrimmages taking place on weekends. Despite wearing masks, these scrimmages created a sense of normalcy to life that really helped me get through the semester. I even hit a double to the fence in the last scrimmage of the year, on my birthday no less. The past semester was full of challenges, and life on campus could feel sad at times. With that being said, I’m really happy I chose to go up to Vermont in person. Despite a few COVID scares and a week in the quarantine dorms, I was able to strengthen the friendships I created last year. I’m planning on returning to campus at the end of January, and cannot wait for life after the vaccine! I am forever thankful for the opportunities MVYouth has given me. Your belief in my potential drives me to succeed, even in an upside down world.
Sam Cranston - University of Vermont
My first semester at the University of Vermont has been the most challenging yet rewarding experience of my life so far. I entered school not knowing a single person out of the 11,000 students at UVM. As a kid who’s spent his entire life living on a small and sheltered island, where everyone knows everyone, this transition was a bit of a shock. Now, only a couple months later, I can look back on those first few weeks of school and laugh. I have found a really close group of friends, made the club baseball team, and settled into the college routine. I could not be happier with my new life at school, and I am loving every second of college. Academically, I am really proud of what I accomplished in my first semester at UVM. Classes such as Calculus and Biology covered many difficult topics, but with a lot of hard work and studying, I was able to achieve high grades in each. In a special research course for life science majors, I took an in depth look at how honey bees communicate with one another. I found this work fascinating, and ended up writing an eight page research paper on the topic, which received high praise from my professor. All these courses required a lot of work, but came relatively easy to me. On the other hand, Chemistry did not come easy whatsoever. I have never taken a more difficult and work intensive course. Countless hours were spent in tutoring sessions, studying in the library, and working with my peers. In the end, all this hard work did not lead to the grade I was hoping for, and I will have to work even harder next semester.