Lillian Rennie (She/Her)
Where are you from?
Rindge, New Hampshire
What are you involved in at RIT?
I am the Secretary of COSSAB, a dancer with VisViva Dance Company. As well as being a Notetaker, an RIT365 Co-Facilitator for the Year One Program, and am a Learning Assistant.
Why RIT and the College of Science?
I chose RIT because of all the opportunities it would open up for me. I am from such a small town so being able to come to a larger area with so much to offer was my main reason for coming to school here. Along with that I enjoyed the campus when I first came to visit and I liked how safe it felt here being further out of the city than I expected. On tours I visited different labs and instantly knew that I wanted to be involved and go here because I just found them so cool. Now looking back I know I made the right choice coming to RIT because I have been able to participate is so many different things and learn so much.
What is your advice for prospective college students?
I would say as my advice for prospective students, especially those coming from small towns like myself, is that even though the campus is so big and the whole thing can be intimidating, there is nothing to be nervous about at RIT. There is always someone in your corner there to support you and look after you, and that no matter what happens especially in the College of Science, you have so many resources to be the best version of yourself you can be in and outside of the classroom.
What research projects have you been involved in or are currently working on?
I am currently in the MEGA labs with Elle Barnes, and have been since my Freshman Spring Semester. We go out to areas off and on campus and do samplings of salamanders and test them for the chytrid fungus which is a fungus that came to the United States likely through the exotic pet trade and is causing amphibians to die at rapid rates. The goal is to be able to take the samples and find ways to protect these species from infection because amphibians play a really important role in the ecosystem.