Local News

Sept. 7, 2006

Xavier student interns at ASU BioMedical Center

By Andrew Junker
The Catholic Sun

TEMPE — While many high school students spend their summers working to earn some extra cash, Xavier College Preparatory senior Kathryn Scheckel took a different route.

She was awarded a summer internship at the new Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University where she worked with doctoral students and scientists at the school’s state-of-the-art laboratory.

Scheckel recently wrapped up work on a project that was attempting to develop a biosensor capable of monitoring lactate levels in the body. She said this type of sensor would have a number of applications, including sports medicine.

“This kind of sensor is really important for athletes in their training to assess their performance,” Scheckel said, “because lactate levels correspond to how much oxygen is in their body. So if they have less oxygen, their performance wouldn’t be as optimal.”

The sensor could also be used in an emergency room setting to find quick and accurate information about the patient’s oxygen levels.

Scheckel, who is considering attending the ASU  Barrett Honors College, noted differences between university and high school labs.

“The machines and the difficult experiments being performed here and just all the different brains from all the different countries — it’s just totally different from the high school environment,” she said.

Though she had completed advanced placement classes in both biology and chemistry, Scheckel was unschooled in the electrochemistry she studied this summer.

She said electrochemistry is much more advanced than her high school subjects, but she felt prepared by Xavier’s instruction.

“I was ready to take on the challenge of learning a new science,” she said.

Beyond merely learning a new science, Scheckel participated fully in the experimental process.

“Kathryn assumes responsibility as any other student here and has certainly demonstrated the same kind of work the rest of us would be doing here. She’s been fantastic,” said Martin McMull, a doctoral student working on the same project.

One of Scheckel’s main responsibilities was collecting and analyzing experimental data, described by Scheckel as “tedious work.”

“It’s not all fun. You have to be accurate and precise, pay attention to what you’re doing,” she said. “But the rewards are very great of learning a new discipline and interacting with students all over the world.”

Though Scheckel has a gift for science and research, she is not certain she would like to make it her career.

“As a profession, I’m not sure,” Scheckel said, “but I’m very interested in science and law and am planning to continue here at the Biodesign Institute throughout the rest of 12th grade and next summer, at least. I like what I’ve seen so far.”

In a field that is often portrayed as being at odds with religious faith, Scheckel said the two have been harmonious in her experience.

“Catholic scientists exist,” she said. “I don’t think there’s a contradiction between science and religion. I think sometimes religion can help guide science and vice versa.”

Andrew Junker/CATHOLIC SUN
Kathryn Scheckel, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory, explains a data printout for her lab work in lactate biosensors. She spent her summer as an intern at the new Arizona State University Biodesign Institute.