In this episode of Uncharted, Sunny—a Pioneer alum currently pursuing environmental engineering—chats with Alice, a 2017 Pioneer scholar and Georgia Tech graduate who is now beginning her PhD in biological engineering at MIT.Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, Alice discovered her love for biology, math, and chemistry in high school. That passion grew at Pioneer, where she gained her first taste of independent research. She reflects on how Pioneer helped her build confidence before college—and how that early exposure to research shaped her decision to pursue a long-term academic path.After undergrad, Alice interned at both Regeneron and Genentech, both experiences that helped her explore the world of industry while deepening her interest in academic research. In this episode, she shares her honest journey through college applications, lab life, and the sometimes overwhelming yet ultimately rewarding process of applying to PhD programs.From leading a Capstone team that won first place at Georgia Tech’s Expo to choosing MIT after one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever made, Alice reflects on what it means to grow into your ambitions, one step at a time. Her story is a powerful reminder that careers in STEM aren’t always linear, and that embracing uncertainty is part of building something meaningful.If you’re navigating the leap from high school to undergrad or wondering whether a master’s or PhD path is right for you, this episode is filled with practical advice, encouragement, and a clear-eyed look at the power of research to shape a life.About Uncharted: the Pioneer Academics Alumni PodcastUncharted: the Pioneer alumni podcast is hosted and produced by alumni of the Pioneer Research Program, a virtual research institute for outstanding high school students. Widely respected for its high standards in selectivity and academic rigor, it is the only fully-accredited and college-credit bearing online research program. In Pioneer, students work one-on-one with university professors in advanced study and research of a topic of their interest ranging from physics to gender studies, culminating in a full-length, undergraduate-level research paper. Uncharted was featured by FeedSpot as a top alumni podcast! You can see the list of selected alumni podcasts here: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/alumni_podcasts/ and in the “Top alumni podcasts” - see the link in our bio to learn more!

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