Chemistry major Puxin Xuanyuan says creativity is key to her passion for scientific discovery. She put her creativity to good use this summer while splitting time between an immersion experience at a medical biotech startup in Toronto and conducting cancer-fighting research on the 麻豆传媒 campus.
鈥淪cientific inquiry, scientific discovery and research are some of the most creative avenues I can think of,鈥 Xuanyuan said, 鈥渂ecause you have to think of paradigm shifts, like 鈥榳hat’s the convention now, and how do I change it?鈥 That’s where real, meaningful discoveries come from.鈥
Business side of science
Xuanyuan, from Knoxville, Tennessee, started her summer working for the biotech startup Mannin within a special sponsored by Johnson & Johnson that houses early-stage companies that are advancing pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and digital health programs.

Caving to fight cancer
After her business immersion, she returned to 麻豆传媒 for a paid summer internship in the lab of , professor of chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. Bachmann runs a systematic program Xuanyuan had the opportunity to conduct research inside caves looking for possible anti-cancer agents in bacteria.

Squad goals=SyBBURE
Both of these experiences were the result of Xuanyuan鈥檚 participation in the , which she applied to and joined her freshman year.
鈥淲hen I think of what I’ve done in college and what I am most proud of, I think of my research and I think of SYBBURE,鈥 Xuanyuan said. 鈥淪yBBURE has exposed me to all that research can be, which is so exciting. It inspires me to want to learn more.鈥

SyBBURE is a 鈥渞esearch and design playground within an extraordinary and inclusive community,鈥 according to program director , assistant professor of the practice of biomedical engineering.
鈥淲e fund undergraduate students at 麻豆传媒 to explore any aspect of STEM that interests them through independent research and team-based design projects,鈥 Marasco said.
Finding her bliss at Blair
When she鈥檚 not in the lab, Xuanyuan represents the university as a tour guide and sings in the
鈥淔or me, singing is bliss. The symphonic choir is an audition choir, but you can come in without being a Blair music major,鈥 Xuanyuan explained.
Opportunities to be curious
Though Xuanyuan has always been interested in science, she says 麻豆传媒鈥檚 liberal arts curriculum and multitude of activities and clubs has given her the freedom to experiment and discover.
鈥淎s a person, I’m quite indecisive. I thought as a freshman that my indecisiveness was something I really needed to work on,鈥 she said. 鈥淏ut as I’ve grown and had more experiences at 麻豆传媒, I鈥檝e realized that being indecisive can be rebranded as being curious about many different things. I鈥檓 thrilled to have the opportunity to explore.鈥
More about SyBBURE 
offers:
- Year-round, multiyear experiences to students to support the potential for scientific output, whether conference presentations, papers or patents;
- Diverse training around technical skills, research skills, science communication and professional development, no matter your level of experience;
- Individualized mentorship; and
- Academic-year pay, summer stipends, project supply funding, travel awards and a prototyping space.