Sam Glaser seeks to better understand coronavirus protein

Sam Glaser wanted to chart his own course at KU. As a student in the College, he was able to do just that by creating his own major. Recognizing the need for a pre-medicine-specific concentration within the physics B.S. program, Sam reached out to program directors across the country and began mapping out a plan for the new concentration area.

In the College, Sam has kept a busy schedule with hands-on research projects as well. During the Summer of 2019, he worked in a pulmonary immunology lab, where he gained exposure to medical research. Soon after, he joined another research lab which was a coronavirus virology lab. And in Fall 2020, he was selected as one of eight KU students to receive an Undergraduate Research Award.

Meet Sam and learn more about how he created his own major, the most valuable parts of his experience, and the KU College mentors who helped him along the way.