A Sabattus woman is one of only three students in the country to win acceptance into the National Science Foundation’s Undergraduate Summer Research Experience in North Dakota.

Alexis Spencer, 20, is entering her senior year at Thomas College in Waterville, which she chose, she says, because of the small class sizes and “because of the faculty who are passionate in what they are teaching.”

We reached out to Spencer to ask her about her college experience, and how she got such a prestigious research opportunity.

How did you get into scientific research? 

I started out as a psychology major with a mental health concentration. During my sophomore year, I started taking more biology and science courses and realized that I really loved it and added it as a second major.

At the beginning of my junior year, I decided to add the pre-med concentration to my biology major. This added another year to my program but I couldn’t have been happier to make this decision.

I chose my majors based on things I was passionate about. I chose psychology because I wanted to be a licensed clinical social worker for children in need.

Now, I dream to be a pediatric oncologist, which is why I added pre-med to my program.

How did you learn about the research program?

I learned about the opportunity through Dr. Julia Saloni at Thomas College.

I’ll be working on creating a computational model to predict how effectively different drugs can block the growth of certain cancer cells. So instead of spending thousands of dollars for compounds and cell lines in the lab, I can test how different things would react with cancer cells based on their properties.

How does the research relate to your future goals?

The research connects directly to my goal of becoming a pediatric oncologist. Because I want to work with children who have cancer, learning about how cancer cells respond to different drugs is really exciting to me.

It gives me the chance to gain research experience, learn more about cancer treatment and build skills that will help me in medical school and throughout my career as a physician. 

When does your program start? 

I am currently in North Dakota. I moved here on May 25 and will be staying until my program ends on July 31. I am excited to be on a bigger campus and be able to take advantage of their lab spaces and scholarly opportunities they offer. 

What are your goals after college? 

After graduating from Thomas College, I plan to attend medical school and work toward becoming a pediatric oncologist.

My goal is to help children and their families through some of the most difficult times in their lives while also staying involved in cancer research. I think that my major of psychology will be useful in helping to navigate such a difficult time for families. I hope to make a difference both through patient care and by contributing to advancements in cancer treatment.