Hi! My name is Phyo Thant Oo, most of my classmates call me Phyo. I was born and raised in Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar. After I finished high school, I moved to Maryland as an international student to achieve my goals. After taking two semesters at Montgomery College (MC) as a biotechnology student, I found out biotechnology is my desired field of study. By the time I was looking to transfer, I heard about the B.S. in Translational Life Science Technology (TLST) program at UMBC at the University at Shady Grove (USG).
I was very excited when I found the TLST program so close to home. I applied to UMBC and enrolled in the TLST program, selecting to take all my classes at USG. Choosing the USG campus to complete my degree is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I really enjoy the small classes and the atmosphere between students and professors. I am currently a member of TLST club at USG. We are looking for new members to join since we are a pretty new major at USG.
Upon graduation, I will continue my education to earn a master’s degree. I want to gain more skills and knowledge that will help me grow in my field of study and build experiences along the way so that I can apply them in the future. My goal is to turn scientific discoveries into life-saving solutions. My ultimate goal is to develop biotechnology in my mother country, Myanmar. As my country is still in a developing stage, we need many researchers and biotechnology programs to help our country grow faster.