Interview with a TAG staff member - #1

We asked several staff members about their experiences working on the Spit for Science project, so that blog readers can learn more about what it's like to be involved in research and science. Our first interview is with Daniel Chan.


What are you taking in school? What year are you entering?

I majored in Physiology last year, but I have recently switched into a different program known as Interdepartmental Honors in Immunology. It is a broader program that entails aspects of Physiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, which allows me to learn more about various subjects in science instead of focusing on just physiology. I will be entering my 3rd year at McGill come September.

What made you apply to be a research assistant for Spit for Science?

I wanted to learn more about the research process, and be a part of something that can affect a large amount of people. There's also the opportunity to learn and gain experience; in both academic and social aspects. Finally, it is based at the Science Centre. There's so many cool things to do there, fun things that are entertaining, and as well as educational aspects. Since I've been working at the Science Centre, I've actually learned quite a few 'fun facts' about science.

What is your favourite part of the job?

Each day has its moments which make this job amazing. There's actually quite a few that come to mind. For example, there was that feeling of accomplishment on the day the team broke 1000 participants; the Science Centre was about to close and we were still a few people short, so we made a huge effort to find those last few participants in order to break that landmark. There's also those moments that just amaze us, such as that first time a child filled that test tube in a single spit. Another time was the heartwarming incident when a child, at first reluctant to spit despite the allure of the prizes, learned that the research would be used to help children around the world and for that reason he decided to participate in an act of altruism. And this list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fun times, from the jokes within our group of colleagues to that one time when I assisted in helping one of the kids pull off a whoopee cushion prank on his brother. All in all, I would say my favourite part of this job is the interactions I have with the people who play a role in this project, participants as well as the TAG team. I think we've become quite a cohesive group.

Why are you interested in science?

Science is like trying to solve a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. It seems impossible to know everything, but with every little segment you complete, you get a better idea of what the whole picture looks like. Each piece is so small and can only work in a certain way (like some of the laws in science), but then every piece is related in some way when you take a step back. It makes life much more interesting, when you can look at even the simplest objects and grasp an idea of how inherently complicated they really are. Maybe its the combination of the the vast, incomprehensible nature of science and its simple elegance that I find so appealing. And for me, another positive aspect of science is its applications; we can use what we learn to help people - like the work of researchers and doctors - something I hope I will be doing in the future.

What surprising thing have you learned about yourself so far this summer, or what new skill have you learned this summer?

Well, aside from the newfound expertise in the art of expelling sputum samples from our mouths, I have actually learned quite a bit. I feel like my social skills have grown, it's getting easier to approach and strike up conversations with people I've only just met moments ago. There has been some opportunities for me to learn more about programming and computer functions, as well as times where I can practice thinking quickly in response to an unanticipated situation. And as a team, I think we've all learned how to micromanage large groups of people. When large groups enter our station, we have to ensure participants complete all the tasks while maintaining some type of structure - something I feel we're doing quite well at.