Senior Gwen Eichfeld, captain of the Colgate University women’s ice hockey team, goes above and beyond in her role as a student-athlete. In 2024, she represented Colgate both on the ice in the Frozen Four and in the classroom, where she received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in addition to becoming a Harvard-Amgen Scholar. With the demanding expectations of both aspects of her life, she finds a way to balance her responsibilities without sacrificing success in either.
Eichfeld was chosen to be a Harvard-Amgen Scholar in April 2024 and was awarded the opportunity to be involved in a 10-week summer research program working onsite at Harvard University. This program is for undergraduate students interested in doing research in biotechnology and related biomedical sciences. It is amongst one of the most prestigious scholarship opportunities in this field and truly represents Eichfeld’s efforts and promise in her pursuits.
Eichfeld completed this experience this past summer and her research was based on autism spectrum disorder. With the aim of understanding how certain genetic changes contribute to symptoms of autism and helping develop better treatments, her study looked at how changes in these genes linked to autism affect brain development. She worked alongside Rebecca Andersen, who is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Christopher Walsh, professor of pediatrics and neurology at Harvard Medical School.
The lab she worked with plans to publish their work in a peer-reviewed journal and to present their findings to clinicians and researchers at national conferences. She has already presented her work to other Amgen scholars from around the country at the Amgen Scholars North America Symposium at the University of California, Los Angeles in July of 2024.
“I have gained experience and confidence from joining new labs, applying new tools and techniques, contributing to ongoing research, asking new questions to extend that research and networking with scientists beyond Colgate. More importantly, I met colleagues and many others who were driven by a deep passion for their scientific inquiries and the potential for their research to help many people by leading to better ways to diagnose and treat diseases,” Eichfeld said.
The process of applying for opportunities such as these is no easy task and requires as much, if not more, work than a class with regular coursework. Eichfeld described this process and how integral it is to have support in this endeavor.
“Understanding the programs and preparing the applications is real work, like having another class, and many are not successful. Reaching out to Principal Investigators at other institutions takes persistence and equanimity, especially when they don’t all respond. Still, it’s all been worth it. The process of writing the essays and enlisting others to review and challenge me is very helpful in clarifying what is important to me and why, and what I want to do in the future,” Eichfeld said.
Eichfeld further discussed how this research also connected to her personal life in a way that has allowed her work to come full circle.
“My experience growing up with my twin brother, Owen, is my motivation for pursuing a career in neuroscience research and clinical care,” Eichfeld shared. “Owen was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder and autism at a young age. I am inspired by his progress and often reflect on how the doctors, researchers and therapists who worked with him, changed the trajectory of his life.”
Eichfeld hopes to continue her work in the neuroscience field by pursuing an MD-PhD after her graduation from Colgate in May 2025. She expressed her extreme gratitude for her research mentors and her peers who she has built and maintained close relationships with.
“I am grateful for my summer research experience,” Eichfeld said. “It was inspiring to work with others who share my passion for science and medicine. This experience strengthened my appreciation for the importance of mentorship in science and I recognize how lucky I am to have been able to join [Andersen] and learn from her this summer. I hope to mentor others in the same way in the future.”
