Lauren Buckley

About Lauren

updated 6/2013: Lauren Buckley grew up in Wisconsin with her father and two older brothers. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she graduated in May 2012 with degrees in chemistry and biochemistry. Her freshman chemistry professor inspired her to enter scientific research. In his laboratory, she developed syntheses of new biodegradable polymers. In fall 2009, she joined Professor Cox’s lab toexplore biological research and study the DNA repair mechanism of a phenomenally radiation-resistant bacterium. She later joined Professor Strieter’s chemistry group,where she helped develop chemical tools to decipher details of the DNA damage response. In summer 2010, she interned with Professor Fujimori at UC–San Francisco through the Amgen Scholars Program, synthesizing modified DNA packaging proteins. Lauren also loves teaching and communicating science. She led Madison Science Olympiad events, performed large chemistry demonstrations at UW- Madison’s annual Engineering Expo, taught hands-on science lessons at Biocore Science Nights in Madison elementary schools, helped Boy and Girl Scouts earn chemistry badges, and performed in a play investigating scientific ethics by Carl Djerassi. She also tutored chemistry and served as president of the UW-Madison chapter of the American Chemical Society. After earning her B.S., Lauren moved to Thailand to study Thai and work with a public health NGO, the Raks Thai Foundation, as a Luce Scholars. She focused on making fundraising media and a short documentary to support Burmese migrant children learning centers in Samut Sakhon, Thailand. Lauren had the opportunity to teach English, science, and health at these learning centers twice a week, which also helped her get to know the kids and better understand migrant issues in their community. Aside from science and language learning, she loves outdoors adventuring, dancing, volleyball, writing creative nonfiction, and travel. She plans to pursue a biochemistry Ph.D. at UC- Berkeley after working abroad, and will stay focused on global public health.