Student Profile – Sophia Lourduraj
Sophia Lourduraj is a current third-year student at Wake Forest studying biophysics. In a discussion with Professor Freddie Salsbury she shares her own unique Wake story and tells us about her interest in the intersection between biology and physics: biophysics.
Prof. Salsbury: What led you to pursue a biophysics major at Wake?
Sophia: I first became mildly interested in physics in high school, but I was primarily interested in the health sciences. Coming to Wake, I knew that there was a biophysics program, but I wasn’t sure how much it would be suitable for my academic preferences, but once I realize that it offered good exposure to biology and chemistry, all while being tailored towards a more physics-leaning study of biological systems, I felt that it was a good fit for me!
Prof. Salsbury: Going into being a biophysics major, what is one misconception you had that wasn’t true?
Sophia: Probably something pretty obvious to most, but it wasn’t until I learned a lot more about how broadly applicable biophysics is as a discipline to the health and medical sciences! While it sounds specialized, the skills and knowledge that you gain in learning about how certain research techniques work, or how to look at a living system in ‘physics terms,’ are invaluable in understanding biological and biochemical systems. While physics is generally considered to be the most math-based, especially compared to biology and chemistry, biological and chemical knowledge contributes just as much to studying biophysics as a discipline.
Prof. Salsbury: What advice would you give to incoming or current students choosing between biophysics and biochemistry majors?
Sophia: I love being a biophysics major and have no regrets about my decision, but biophysics is still very much ingrained in the traditional ‘elements’ that make physics different from biology and chemistry. Namely, analytical thinking and math are very important parts of biophysics as a field and in the classes that are required for the major! Choosing biophysics obviously doesn’t preclude you from studying biochemistry- biochemistry is a requirement for our major and is generally important when continuing in a profession closely related to biophysics in the future.
Prof. Salsbury: What do you plan on doing after you graduate?
Sophia: As of right now, I plan on going to graduate school, and getting a Masters in either physics or biophysics. Afterwards, I’ll either pursue a Ph.D or go into the private sector, but I’m not sure yet.
Prof. Salsbury: What is one fond memory that you have of the Wake Forest University physics department?
Sophia: It’s hard to choose just one! My favorite biophysics related memory was probably when my lab partner and I grew the biggest lysozyme crystal out of the three other lab groups in our biophysics lab class. I still remember how surprised and genuinely happy I was that we’d won, and seeing how well-formed our lysozyme crystal was! It’s still a nice memory and my lab partner and I still reminisce about it to this day!