Shelby Sliger: My Purdue View

Story by Olivia De Young

Photos by Joshua Clark

April 2, 2025

Major: Biochemistry

Hometown: Lafayette, Indiana

My biggest draw to Purdue was getting into research early with a supportive mentor, but my biggest takeaway has been my passion for teaching science.

After I graduated from high school, I got a lab job with biochemistry professor Joe Ogas, and I was thrilled. I always wanted to do research, and the scholarships I received made it possible.

In the lab, I work with a plant called Arabidopsis. We’re studying a mutation in a gene called PICKLE that sometimes causes plants to grow large, fatty roots. It’s essentially the plant version of a tumor. This year, I was fortunate enough to receive a Goldwater Scholarship and an Astronaut Scholarship for my research.

In the future I plan to research similar processes in human cancer cells. I specifically want to study osteosarcoma, because a member of my family passed away from it, and it’s not been well researched. I also plan to become a professor and encourage others to explore science.

My experiences at Purdue have made me want to share science with more people. For example, I’m the president of the Biochemistry Club, which has made me value community outreach. The club goes around the community and gives kindergarten through sixth grade students their first exposure to lab science. I want to continue communicating science with the public in a way that's comprehensible to them.

It gives me hope and encouragement to see people excited about science when I teach. Science is important for fixing real-world problems, and I enjoy making a difference in others’ lives.

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