I began working at the Emory Office of Technology Transfer as a writing assistant during my sophomore year of college here. I was a pre-med turned journalism student, hungry for any writing opportunities I could get my hands on. Having spent the previous year taking courses in biology and organic chemistry, I was eager to take on the task of translating seemingly complex concepts into stories our readers would be interested in. The job’s intersection of science and writing was the ideal opportunity for me, someone interested in health and science journalism.
I’ll be honest. When I first started the job, I wasn’t exactly sure what “technology transfer” actually meant. Through my time working in the office however, I’ve gotten to fully understand and appreciate OTT’s vital role in Emory’s standing as a leading research university. I’ve also gotten the opportunity to sit down and chat with some truly awe-inspiring, accomplished researchers and scientists about the exciting projects they’ve been working on. I wrote about Dawn Laney, a genetic counselor who wrote a series of books to help children understand genetic conditions. I covered the development of iCHOOSE Kidney, a mobile app that helps patients make decisions about treatment options for kidney failure. I talked to Wilbur Lam, who developed an at-home anemia test kit. And these are only a handful of the stories I worked on. It’s been truly exciting to watch these projects go through the various stages of development, and to get to follow their successes.
If you’re like me and have a passion for the intersection of science and writing, I encourage you to join the team at Emory OTT. Working at OTT is one of the best student jobs on campus. Looking back on my three years here, I know I’m entering into the work force with some fantastic experience under my belt.
– Harmeet Kaur