Lauren Garcia is finishing up her first year at Indiana University Bloomington with majors in Biology, Chemistry, and Philosophy. Lauren is a member of IU’s Women in STEM Living-Learning Center and has been accepted through the Women in STEM summer research program to continue research in Professor Rich Hardy's lab over the summer. She is also a member of Lecturer Mike Manzella's ASURE genome engineering lab, where she is working on a project involving the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in Vibrio natriegens. Lauren is a member of the All Campus Orchestra and spends her free time reading, crocheting, or hanging out with friends. After completing her undergraduate degrees, Lauren hopes to attend an M.D./Ph.D. program or attend graduate school to study genetics. Lauren is incredibly grateful for this scholarship and plans to use it to further her education here at Indiana University Bloomington!