Michael Wen

After taking introductory research classes at TAS, Michael Wen (’17) was able to put his new laboratory skills to work by interning at the National Yang-Ming University Institute for Brain Science during the summers of his junior and senior years to further explore his interest in science.

There, he learned lab techniques and types experiments such as culturing different types of cells, Western blotting, immunostaining, and using advanced light microscopy.

“Being in a lab is very different from many of the other internships that students are going through,” says Michael. “There’s a lot of work that you have to do, but you can walk away knowing that what you’re doing could help someone’s life.”

He also enjoyed the friendships he was able to make in the lab. “I was able to bond with people throughout the process and the hard work,” he says.

Michael decided to continue his research career this year after summer ended through taking the Advanced Scientific Research II class at school, a course which allowed him to pursue his own personal projects in biology.

From his experiences both during the summer and at school, Michael has realized that he wants to pursue a career in the sciences. He is currently planning on studying biology with a concentration in biochemistry, with hopes of becoming a doctor or a research scientist in the future.

“Although research is not a requirement in college, it will be something I will heavily pursue later in life,” he says. “I enjoy being in the lab, meeting and working with new people.”

Angela Wu

Last year, Angela Wu (’17) attended an internship at the tax department of the international auditing group KPMG, through TAS’s Summer Academy internship program.

There, she performed various tasks for the company, from researching various topics to providing translations for legal documents. Toward the end of her internship, Angela had the opportunity to give a presentation on Southeast Asian taxes to other individuals working in KPMG. She also was able to get to know how the company and its employees worked. “I learned a lot about different topics in accounting, ranging from how taxes relate to national happiness to how illegal drug dealers pay taxes,” she says. “Most of these things aren’t learned at school.”

Throughout her internship, she became fascinated with the business aspect of work at KPMG and is now planning on going into business as a career.

However, she also learned that the specific jobs she was carrying out at the company didn’t suit her.

“Surprisingly enough, working at KPMG crossed out accounting for me,” she says. “I learned a lot, though, especially since I was able to see what the business industry was like and explore different areas of business. It was a great experience for me to have during my junior year.”