Naomi Raicu is a senior pursuing a BS in Physics, a minor in Mathematics, and an Honors degree. Starting in 2018, she worked as a high school research intern under Dr. Ionel Popa in the Popa Biophysics Lab until joining as an undergraduate research assistant through the 2020 UR@UWM program. As a SURF recipient since Spring 2021, she has presented her work, which deals with the characterization of protein folding mechanisms, annually at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium, and the UW System Symposium. In her current project, Naomi is studying how various fluorescent environment-sensitive dyes characterize the folded state of a protein so that a framework for discovery of drugs that target protein misfolding can be established. As protein misfolding leads to debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, finding ways to prevent misfolding is a crucial task. Performing research in Dr. Popa’s lab has taught Naomi how to design experiments, work independently, and communicate her results effectively. Moreover, her research experience has led her to explore other research areas; for the past two summers, she has worked as a research intern for Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory’s quantum computing internship, where she worked on developing cryogenic cable simulations for Rigetti Computing. She will continue as a Rigetti intern this academic year. As a SERA student, Naomi looks forward to connecting with students interested in undergraduate research. As she has had support and advice from other students and researchers throughout her internships, she would like to take her turn in offering that same support to others.