Bugs, Bacteria, and the Gut: What I Learned at UC COSMOS

Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend UC COSMOS at UC Irvine — a four-week residential program where high school students get to live on a university campus and do actual science. My cluster focused on how bacteria respond to changing environments, and honestly, it was one of the most eye-opening experiences I've had.

I went in knowing I was interested in biology, but I came out with a whole new appreciation for how complex — and how personal — microbiology really is. We spent our days in lectures, labs, and research sessions, working alongside UC faculty and graduate students who genuinely cared about what we were learning. It felt less like a summer program and more like a preview of what college research actually looks like.

The highlight for me was getting to design and carry out an original research project with a partner. We asked a question that felt both scientific and practical: does the type of fiber you eat actually affect how well good bacteria grow in your gut? We tested a few common dietary fibers and observed how bacteria responded under different conditions — including conditions meant to simulate what happens in an inflamed gut, which is relevant to conditions like IBD.

What surprised me most was that the results didn't always match what we expected. Science has a way of humbling you like that. We had to think critically about why our data looked the way it did, account for limitations, and still draw meaningful conclusions. We then presented our findings on a research poster — something I'd never done before.

Beyond the science, COSMOS pushed me to think like a researcher. I left with sharper questions, a deeper curiosity about the gut-brain connection, and a clearer sense of what I want to explore in college and beyond.